St. Landry democrat., 1881-01-08
Dangerous Years.

Every one who reads, must know
that the prophet of disaster, according
to semi scientific forecast, foretells
much trouble for this poor earth of ours
and its inhabitants, during 1881 and the
three following years. We are to be
snow stormed and earth-quaked, when
Jupiter retreats from it's periheion or
nearest point to the sun, which his
majesty is doing now. The thunderer
was always cross, illgraned old ras-
cal when he couldn't do as he liked, and
we presume he rather affected old Soils
society. AS he retreats Saturn draws
nearer the earth. In 1884 it will be one
hundred million miles nearer the sun
than when at it's maximum distance.
The old fellows of course can't be ex
pected to retreat and advance stimuli
taneously without kicking up a row,
and shocks electrical and magnetic will
disturb all the. healthfnl conditions of
our atmosphere. We have put be-
hind us all supcrstitious belief in the
old oracles and prophecies, but science
draws horoscope of its own, and there
is no one 80 ignorant in these modern
DAYS who has not learned that stellar,
lunar, and solar influences affect our
climates and magnetic conditions. They
give us storms, deluges, earthquakes,
violent alterations of heat and cold,
and FROM f1lem it is easy for science to
80. /, Ialrn
coming year. All the phenomena of
1880. were accurately registered in the
beginning of the year.
MANY comets will be visible III the
coming five years. Faye's comet will
be ut its pelinelion on the 22d OF next
January, and the great comet of 1873
Will be visible before the end OF the
wear. We will have four eclipses, two
of the sun, two of the moon and one OF
them total. The astronomers will pro-
badly run mad studying the texture OF
Saturns rings, which will be near
enough for them to investigate with all
the appliances of modern science. In
view of the recent discoveries by the
solar spectrum, we cannot bound the
possibilities of future investigation
among the planets. We have learned
to transmule light into sound and COM
municate by the very tones OF the voice
with friends ut distance. Step by step
we are reaching heights OF knowledge
which fifty or even twenty years ago
seemed unscalable. If there ale supc"
rior intelligcnces among the stars we
will doubtless find means of commnni-
eating with them. If not we will better
understand why Of all the vast universe
this pitiful little globe, the most in
significant and smallest, should he
peopled with living intelligences.
But reucn0ns a nos m0utohs, the dan
gerous years. Epidemics, strange dis.
eases, and frightful increase of NOR.
tality menace US according to science in
the three coming years. The pertur-
bations in the atmosphere are going tC
turn our climates upside down, and il
an earthquake should open in the mair
streets Of Opelousas, we wouldn't have
any call TO be astonished, though We
don't know exactly how it could ge
there. But the wise men have prepared
Ms for any incredible disaster, and The
weather for the last month OF SO ha!
upheld their croakings. Where is thu
sunny South. Into what vile, abomi
nable, semi-Arctic, rain-pouring, mud
sticking region have we been translated
If Jupiter aud Saturn, and the comets
and the sun have any thing worse il
store for us, come on gentlemen ant
let's have it all in bunch and be don'
with it.