The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-09

We HAVE PROPHETS AMONG Us!-
Don't you believe it? Think of the many
predictions of a hard winter and then Of
the past week! If you doubt after that,
you are ''worse than the heathen.'' Yes,
sir! we haze prophets among us! Weather
prophets they may be. but in these times
even weather prophets are not to be
coughed at. Says the lugubrious Brown,
as he tenderly nurses his frost bitten fin
gers, eff ! had only thought of anything
like this. you wouldn't have catched me
out OF coal and obliged to burn boards of
the fence Of my back yard, freezing my
hands knocking them of, while Mrs.
Brown and all the little Browns nearly
froze before got the fire going was a
consunmate ass, or l might have known
1t. Wasn't Ii a very warm aud open win
ter last ENTHUSIASTICALLY warm and open?
And don't one extreme season follow
another extreme season, except that it s on
the other track? You won't catch me
again. No, sir! haven't iroze my fingers
for nothing
Philosoph;c Brown. Won are only type
Of a large class. THAT'S uerv simple ex-
claimed the sauans after Columbus showed
them how to set the egg on end. II told
You SCI said the old lady. when informed
that the COW had eaten the grindstone.-
And so these matter -oi-fact and thorough
lv-instructed individuals Knight have
known" that we were to have ian uncom
mon cold snap and a big snow," the like
whereof hasn', been put on record within
the lifetime of that very respectable and
very experienced, sage and Christian gen.
tleman, the ''oldest inhabitant.'
But then how easy it is to be "caught
mapping" procra>tinat;on, you thief and
deceiver. how you have stolen away men 5
usual caution and forethought, and left
them without sufficient supply of fuel !!
~ Il. g..
to the belief that his stock would subSlst
| without shelter. How you made our rail-
| road folks believe that snow-plows were"a
| wasteful and ridiculous excess" and that
such thing as stopping the trains beyond
| a day ia these ATTITUDES 10y snow storm
| was mere moonshine. All, you have been
guilty Of bad FRANKS and dearly dre the es-
| script and other good papers the great Pub
lie, paying for it!
This IS u hard winter. There is no deny
ing it. With the thermometer down to
thirty odd degrees below zero. and old b.
reas chasing the snow flakes like "streaked
lightning over our prairies, tumbiing
them hel.e--sheiter, topsy-turvy over the
fences, into ravines, cuts and gulieys,-
pitching them under doors, through crew.
ces, and cabin-ch.nks, blocking up high
ways and bye-ways, and raising "the
dickens in mad antics, we guess it
is hard. Hard on the traveller wealth
er-bound on the way, or caught on
| the cars Of some snowedup railway
train. Hard on the family short OF
fuel. Hard on those short of clothing
and provisions. Hard on the poor! All
how hard on the poor? God only knows
how they have suffered! How they are
even now suffering! And here is chance
for the "Browns'' to make up for their
want of forethought. Here is a chance to
get even with Procrastination. After
thought! that's the word. Afterthought
for the poor and needy and sutfering!-
Have you neighbor about whose condi-
ton and comfort you have apprehensions?
Look to him. Is there poor family within
your acquaintances? Inquire into the con-
ditlon OF their Harder and coal bin. Is there
a soldiers family whom you think are
suffering! Relieve them. You don't real
ize even now how much our brave soldiers
have done for you-preserved to you your
property, your country-blessings without
number. Go reciprocate! Remember that
IN more trying ordeal it will be said to
you, "lnasmuch as we did--Or did MOTTO
one OF these, SO will / do unto you." Re-
collect now You were warned about the
hard winter and. you went on carelessly
until it came down upon you ''like the wolf
on the fold" Don't disregard his warn
ing. 'The poor We have always with you"
AS they arc Gods children, so look to them!
'-ktoTia 1r0nscript.