The Democratic advocate., 1878-02-09
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

Local BREvITIEs.-Thursdsy next is St
Valentines day.
Last Saturday our streets were filed with
all kind Of vehicles from the trim little
cutter to the four-horse wood sled, and Young
America was unspeakably happy.
Those who failed to fill their ice houses al
the former freeze have been busy during the
past week.
Saturday last was Ground Hog day. II
was clear and the sun shone out brightly.
There Was once q universal superstition
throughout Christendom that good weather
on this day indicated a long continuance of
winter and a bad crop, and that foul weather
was q good omen. Sir Thomas Browne
quotes Latin distich expressive Of this idea
which ia tins translated in popular Scotch
rhyme:
"Ifcandlemas day be dry and fair,
The half o winters 20 come and mair:
Ifcandlemas day be wet and foul.
The halfo winters game at Yule."
In Germany there are two proverbial ex-
pressions on this subject 81. The shepherd
would rather see the wolf enter his stable on
Candlemas day than the sun. 2. The badger
peeps out Of his hole on Candlemas day, and
when he finds snow walks abroad but If he
sees the sun shining he draws back into his
hole.
The air was very keen on Monday, and
those who travelled any distance complained
of the cold very much.
Immense quantities of railroad ties pass
through our city daily. In twenty years, it is
believed there will not be telegraph pole, q
crosstie, or q spare cord of wood in the upper
portion Of Woolery's, Freedom or Franklin
districts.
Local Correspondents are respectfully re-
quested 10 boil down their communications.
Send US the news Of your respective neigh
borhood, free of sophomorical illusions
BreVity is the soul of wit, and an article is
all the more readable If written in terse and
forcible language.
The FebrJary Term of the Circuit Court
begins on Monday next.
The Glen Rock Item says Scarlet and
typhoid fevers are on the increase in the upper
portions Of Carroll and Baltimore counties
Quite large number of children have died
recently, and large number are now sick
The epidemic has been prevailing over a
month and there is little or no abatement.
Mr.. Kief, who several years ago was pro-
prietor of the Moniour House, this City, has
taken charge OF the Diller House at Hanover
Nace's school house. West Mannheim town
ship, York county, was burned on Thursday
night Of last week.
Miss Van Bibber ard Miss Emory, formerly
Of this city, and Mr.. Charles +. Smith and
wife are at Vienna, Austria.
Measles are very bad in Reisterstown and
vicinity. At the Ashland Company's ore
banks, on the road leading from Reisterstown
to Dover, there are in eight families nineteen
down with the disease, several Of them grown
persons.
Considerable damage was done by the
storm on Thursday of last week, to the grand
stand on the Fair Grounds.
Mr.. Frank Noel killed skunk on Monday
last Two small dogs which participated in
the capture suffered severely from the power
full and peculiar ordor of the animal. The
dogs rolled in the snow and whined with dis
tress. Il was black with white ring around
its neck and white stripe down its face.
Ten shares Of the Hanover Savings Bank
recently sold for So. 40, par value SO.
An attempt was made between II and y
O'Clock on Wednesday night last to enter the
residence of VIM. B. Thomas, this city.
There were two men, and in their efforts to
reach the top Of the back porch knocked over
a step ladder. The noise attracted the atten-
ton of Mrs. 7. and she notified her husband,
who at once started in pursuit of the burglars,
bat was unable TO overtake them.