Taken from the Oswestry Advertiser, exact date unknown.
A completely different style of writing when why use one word when then would do!
A correspondent writes: The total eclipse of the moon, which took place on Sunday week, passed off in a manner most satisfactory to all, excepting those who witnessed it. At Llanymynech it was only partially visible, owing to the fact that the moon, as if was conscious that something was wrong, persistently endeavoured to hide herself behind banks of dark clouds, but fortunately, she was not altogether successful, so that good views were occasionally obtained of the progress of affairs.
Another drawback was a misty atmosphere, but as the night wore on this gradually wore off, so that shortly after twelve o’clock the sky became clear, when the moon, at that time totally obscured, had somewhat the appearance of a huge Chinese lantern.
About one am heavy clouds again began to chase each other across the sky, but glimpses of the moon could now and then be obtained until the eclipse ended about two o’clock.
Some years ago a double event of this nature occurred on the same night – a total eclipse of the moon and the total eclipse of an old and very ardent admirer of astronomy and of Scotch whiskey, who, for this particular occasion, invited to his residence several fellow disciples, for the purpose of indulging in the one and also partaking of the other. The eclipse did not come off until the small hours of the morning, by which time all the party were at the height of their enjoyment – more especially the host, who, on being led out to take an observation, distinctly saw two moons and two eclipses, and repeatedly declared it was the most wonderful sight he had ever seen, and a sure sign of the heavy wet, which prediction proved remarkably correct in a certain sense during the rest of the night as far as he and his astronomical friends were concerned.
Karen J. Mossman 