Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-22
.sWeather Probabilities"

weather Probabilities"
The Petersburg Index gives an Interesting
epitome of the means used for obtaining the
data upon which the learned in Washington
bare their conjectures of the weather. The
phenomena of the weather, of the climate We
live in, the winds that blow upon us, the rains
which make our substance, and which set at
naught our punny efforts, all these, familiar
and close to US as they are, continued for long
centuries to be matters of guesswork and OF
confessed mystery The Iudex continues:
1T was left to the United States, with its
wide extended territory, Its general plane sur
face and its net work Of telegraphs,- to make
the greatest advance In the science OF the gen
eral phenomena Of the weather, and already
the signal office reports, scarcely established a
year. are eagerly read, and implicitly trusted oty
the people, while beiug daily recored, they Will
in few years contain such masses OF ooserVa-
even hoped for. The lahorS of the weather
clerk as he is popularity called at " Washington,
are a mystery to many and not few still be-
Geve that his predictions are the result OF clever
guesswork. -, ~,
At upwards of thirty points in the United
States an observer is placed, being IN communl-
cation each with the other and with the Cen
trail Office or the stations those at the ex'
IRENE Northern, Southern, Eastern and West
crn limits of the country, are Portland Maine,
Boston, Massachusetts, and Montreal Canada
Lake City, and Key West, Florida. Galveston,
Texas, Cheyenne, Cornne and Duluth-thoSe
for Virginia being kynchburg and Norfolk.
Each observer reports the direction and velo-
ctv Of the winds, three times daily, as we'll as
the height of his barometer, hygrometer and
thermometer, instruments for the measure
ment ie ,pectively of the pressure. the humlul-
ty and temperature OF the atmosphere, the
barometer being far the most important.
The average pressure of the atmosphere on
our coast is 80, and on the western plains ~
2,in winter. The central Office euteres upon
map the aiomtt r c pressure reported from the
various stations and connecting points OF equal
pres ure !ry lines, finds an area OF high: st and
lowest pressure. The atmosphere rusheS irom
the areas of highest to those OF lowest pressure
and iva centres Of disturbance are generally
found, the winds blowing fron the centres OF
the high pressure areas outward and with de,
h.cton to the right as they move forward, and
blowing inward with the same right hand de-
Hectiou to the centres of the areas of low pres
sure. The DETECTION being pro portlonate to the
speed of the winds. their speed and the curved
line up on which they always travel being known
ills matter of science and not of guess to predict
their course Ii the course of wind lie over
large bodies of water, it will become saturated
and carry rain or snow upon It's wings, and
even without such Intervention, observation
has shown that au advancing storm carries
dampness before it, and likewise a greater de-
gree of heat than it leaves behind It,
1t is by such means, apparently simple, and
bv such observation Of the barometer, the n.y.
grometer. the thermometer and the speed
meaSurer, apparently trivial. that the signal Of
flee has already arrived at the power OF predict
ing the weather changes twenty four hours IN
advance with probability which will soon be-
come certainty. Aud, in a few years, there
can be little doubt but that the predictions will
embrace days where they non attempt hours
ADVICE OF AN OLD LADY-Now, John,
listen to me, for I am older than you, or L
couldnt he your mother. Never do you marry
Young woman, John, before you have con-
trived to happen at the house where she lives
at least four or FIVE times before breakfast
You should know how late she lies IN bed IN
the morning You should ia ke notice whether
her complexion is the same in the morning as
it is in the evening. or whether the wash and
towel have robbed her of her evening bloom.
You should take care to surprise her, so that
YOU can see her in her morning dress and oo-
serve how her hair looks when she Is not eX-
pecting YOU. IF possible you should be where
YOU could hear the morning conversation De-
tween her and her mother If she is ill-nstur-
ed and snappish to her mother, so she will be
to YOU, depend on it. But if you find her up
and dressed neatly in the morning, with the
same countenance. the same smiles, the same
neatly combed hair, the same ready and pleas,
ant answers to her mother, which characterized
her department in the evening, and particular
: 10, ratf ho
ready in good season she is prize, John, and
the sooner YOU secure her to yourself the bet
ter.
EARLY Rls1NG.-An an old proverb says,
He who would thrive must rise at five,
but there is more rhyme than reason in 1t -
for if
Hc who would thrive must rise at tve'
it must naturally follow,
He who would thrive more must rise at four;
and it will ensuc as a consequence, that
He would still more thriving be-
Must leave his bed at turn Of three;
Aad who this latter would outdo,
Will rouse him ut the stroke OF two.
And, By way of climax to it all, it should be
held that
He who wouid never be outdone,
Must ever rise rs soon as one.
But the best illustration. would be,
He who would flourish best Of all,
Should never go to bed ut ALL
ScRaps.-There is no Joy as great as that
rb,cb snr;nrs from kind act or pleasant
deed. You may feel at night when you rest.
in The morning when you rise, and through the
day when you are about your daily business
Here is touching confession from the editor
of the Glens Falls IN. T. 'RepubilcanI. :. pu5
Thanksgiving turkey was hne olru; IL naI
labelled mo. 5 mackerel. '(?)
An English Snowman threatened to turn MS
animals loose if the town did not grant MIN
iiceuse, aud he got it.
A little girl, sent out to hunt eggs, came