CHAPTER X.
AURORA BOREALIS, OR NORTHERN LIGHTS, MOST FREQUENTLY SEEN IN NORTHERN
CLIMATES--CALLED MERRY DANCERS--ROSE TINTS--TINT-LIKE APPEARANCE--LADY
MARY FRIGHTENED.
One evening, just as Mrs. Frazer was preparing to undress Lady Mary, Miss
Campbell, her governess, came into the nursery, and taking the little girl
by the hand, led her to the window, and bade her look out on the sky
towards the north, where a low dark arch, surmounted by an irregular
border, like a silver fringe, was visible. For some moments Lady Mary
stood silently regarding this singular appearance; at length she said, "It
is a rainbow, Miss Campbell; but where is the sun that you told me shone
into the drops of rain to make the pretty colours?"
"It is not a rainbow, my dear; the sun has been long set."
"Can the moon make rainbows at night?" asked the little girl.
[Illustration: THE AURORA BOREALIS]
"The moon does sometimes, but very rarely, make what is called a _lunar_
rainbow. Luna was the ancient name for the moon. But the arch you now see
is caused neither by the light of the sun nor of the moon, but is known by
the name of Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. The word Aurora means
morning or dawn; and Borealis, northern. You know, my dear, what is meant
by the word dawn; it is the light that is seen in the sky before the sun
rises.
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