Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1881-02-10

Man's climaeteuRl year IL sigig-fbres
the ninth 0t sevon---which numbers.
being multiplied together. produce that
sum total, which is important In human
life
as regards crcA numbers, II has been
remarked that British mouarchs who
were the second of anv name (such as
Williamli. Henry IL. Edward II, Rich
ord II, Charles u aud James III were
unfortunate Princes.
II has been claimed, whether correct
" or not has often been matter of as.
sortion. doubt and curiosity, that the
snntlower (Hclianlhus annuus u bot
anists) turns 90 the sun with curious
fidelity II may not be generally known,
but Is stated IN John WiHford's "Na4
turc secret, copious aud curious
folio, published in i7ii, that other
plants were reputcd TO have the sun
worship. These are the helioirupc and
the marigOld Oddly enough, the name
oi the former Of those plants is account
cd Tor hy classical fable, which derives
it from two Greek words (acl,ns the
sun, and trcpa, 10 um). from the
legend that Ciytie was turned into this
flower through gazingat Apollo. These
two flowers nre, or were, supposed to
turn toward the suns S rays all the day,
shutting up shop in the evening. II
was thought that they presaged stormy
weather by closing or contracting their
leaves
In like manner, tesiis. or fuller's
thistle, formerly cultivated largely by
manufacturers for raising n nap on wool.
en- broadcloth. was believed. when hung
up in an airy place in a house. TO grow
smoother when cold and windy weather
was at hand, and Co close up its prickles
against raiu. Pine-appies are supposed
Ia do the same. The leaves OF traes
and plaui, in general shake and trem-
bic in stormy weather. and tender buds,
delicate flowers and blossoms seem TO
Withdraw within their husks and leaves
by way OF security against the storm.
II is mn old belief IN European lands
that when roses and yiolots flourish In
the autumn, IT is premonition of
plague, or some other pesiilerous dis
ease. In the ensuing year.
These popular superstitions are nu-
merous, and harmless, for the most
part. They extend from the human 10
the whole animal creHtlon-to insects
and plants, 70 birds and beasts, 10 fishes
and the hidden treasures which lio deep
ia the earth,
Such insignificant beings as crickets
and ilies are Subjects for these traditions
and beliefs, Pilny, the great Roman
naturalist, wrote, nearly nineteen CEN
turies ago, IN favor of crickets and the
good luck they bring to the human hab-
itations in which they dwell Two
hngft0lHgsn a Ia afsFtnl Nfrfrltal
author wrote long chapter on Tho
Cricket on the Hearth, declaring that
il was the height OF iil-forune TO kill
one indeed, breach Of hospitality,
When. after having resided in a house
for many years, they forsako the CHM
Rey, on a sudden. it is regarded, among
country folks in Britain, as . sure prog
nosticalion OF death, and Dryden aud
Gay, the poets, mention this in their
poems. Hence, Addison wrote, In the
Spectator. OF the cricket having some-
times struck more terror than the roar-
ing Of lion. Broken bones or some
other dire personal misfortune win fol-
low, it is thought the destruction of q
cricket, and, in fact, OF all insects and
birds that take refuge in dwelling houses.
AS for ilics, il Is alleged that, il they
repair to their wiuter-quarters early in
the autumn. frosty mornings, cold
storms and hoary winter may be looked
for Thev remained late in 1880: new
erlheless Thanh sgiving Day was severe
and snowy.
Every one must have heard the truism
that cone swallow does not makea a sum
mern This bird was held in high
ropute among the ancient Greeks and
Romans, and was sacred to their
Penates, or household gods. When
swallows few low, often touching the
water with their wings, il was generally
expected that there would be u heavy
rainf,Al. On the other hand, the chirping
and immoderate liveliness of sparrOws
early in the morning, was taken 20 force
tell rain or wind. ln book published
IN hi02 (''Lloyds Stra,agemso Of Jerusa-
llm much stress Is laid on the swal-
low being classic bird Of omen This
Void that one 0f them pitching on the
sail Of the vessel in which Marc Antony
s.liled after Cleopatra TO Egypt was held
rs an augury OF his being slain there.
Swallows, II Is added, followed King
Cyrus, leading his army from Persia 20
Scythla. even as ravens followed
AteAtuueI AuN hitAN bh MS INtulh
from India and on his way TO Babylon
the death OF each, in respective local..
ties, being thence forotold by the magi.
Tho owl was regarded rs bird OF
evil omen, foretelliug great misfortune
with its hoarse, dismal voice, Chauoer
said that II announced death, and Spen-
ser said that whoever heard its soreech
would die soon after
The raven. bird Of lll-ropute, though
it fed the prophet Elijah when he Aed
from the rhee Of Ahab, has been hnrsh-
ly spoken OF by the poats---ii'Ht IS, by
Shakespeare, Spenser, Gay, Marston
,,d ,tbars AM Ia Graapa and ftaIv