Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-06-16
MOON AND MOONsHINE.


things, is an error that ought to have
been discarded long ago; but the credu-
lous mind loves old follies so well, that
it clings to them in spite Of their incon-
sistencies, and the testimony of science
and experience against them. 1t is
time in this age of light and truth to
cut off, one by one, old whims and cred
Utilities and rely more upon philosophy
and theology than upon astrology or
mythology. The moon is small body
that attends the earth in its voyage
around the sun, making revolution up
on its axis, and also around the earth IN
a little more than twenty-nine days. 1t
is 100000 miles distant, and is some
thing over 1000 miles in diameter. Its
light is borrowed from the sun, and we
see the reflection. In making a revolu- |
ton around the sun it presents a varie- |
ty of phases, the narrow rim, the cres-
CeuC, Ouo udll IHoou, oAc SlUUouo Iolul,
and finally when it passes between the
earth and the sun all its lllumined side |
is hidden from view. These phases are |
what are called the moons changes and
are what are believed by some, to pro-
duce the wonderful effects on the wealth
er and other things If the moon does
effect the earth, and has power to do al
that is ascribed to it, some of natures
laws govern it, attraction, heat, light, or
subtle influence not yet understood.
But its attraction is uniform, is
no heat in its rays, nor can the feeble
light that it shows on cloudless nights
produce any remarkable effect on the
weather, or upon the chemical processes
by which I've unltes with grease to form
soap. If there is any power exerted by
the moon upon the earth, not known to
science, it would nevertheless be govern
ed by constant and regular laws but
changes of the moon do not always pro-
duce changes in the weather; and a ''wet
moon" is of no avail in drouth, or in
Egypt or California during the dry sum-
mer. Pork will sometimes fry away to
grease, whether the hog was killed on
the old or the new of the moon, and
peas will blossom continually or refuse
to blossom as they choose, whether they
first saw the wax or the wane of the
moon.
Scientific men have made the moons
influence upon the earth, vegetation and
other things a study, and they declare
that it has no effect whatever on the
weather, much less that it does the silly
things ascribed to it. 1t seems idle to
argue against belief so fallacious, but
there are still many that base their pre-
dictions and govern their actions upon
and by the phases of the moon. If we
who do not believe in these things, can
be convinced of our error, we will re.
nounce it, and all be governed by lunar
laws, so soon as we can find out what
they are.
There is a great deal of moonshine in
the world besides what we receive from
that luminary. We class under this
head the belief in signs, apparitions,
ghosts, fortune telling, and all things
supernatural. Fortunately we believe
less in them, than our fathers did, but
the stories they told us and the signs
they taught us are not easily forgotten
We think we do not beHeUe in them, but
when we are obliged, in the dark hour:
Of night to visit the lonely and vacant
chamber, where our grandfather died
we would give a little something to b,
assured that we should not meet hi
ghost. When the rooster steps upol
the door stone and crows, we remembe
that this is sure sign that compan,
will visit us during the day. When tn
wind means around the corner of tn
house in the dark hours of desolat
night, we know it is not the sound of
human voice, but it seems strangely lik
one. For many years there lived in
neighboring town person, who by look
ing into a mysteriously formed stone
could tell the fortune and divine tn
occult things in the lives of those VIII
visited her. Hundreds made pilgrim
age to have their fortunes told, an
though they did not believe word
it, were willing to go miles, 'just to Sc
whether she knew anything or not.
She knew enough of human nature |
tell them something that had occurre
or would occur in their lives, and to
tiatter their vanity that they would
very liberal in their fees. The old lac
made money, and the foolish person
who visited her, were all the happier
having been SO completely duped.
belief IN hobgobllns, witches, and S
pernatural phenomena, is injurious
grown people, as to them every mystel
Gus occurrence is attended with drea
and everything that is counted evil
signs, dreams or predictions, interior
with their business and happiness b
to inculcate and perpetuate such
lief among children is most pernicio,
A child is void of fear, until it has
tened to tales of horror or hoe i.