Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-01
THH GROUND-HOa.
LINES ON the GREAT WEATHER
PROPHET.

Unaided by thermometer
Or aneroid barometer,
Or signal service teleyrams,
Or flight of birds. or beav er dams.
Or goOse-bone's curious conditions.
Or planetary oppositions,
Conjunctions. quadratures, asccnsions.
AL astronomical pretensions-
Without the aid Of seers or quacks.
Or witchcratt, magic. almanacs.
Or any other weak appliance
On which the ignorant place reliance.
The Groundhos's gift OF prophecy
Proclaims the truth and not Il lie.
For ages past he has foretold
Whether the weather would be cold
Whether old winters reign was DER
Or spring postponed for six weeks more;
Though unbclieving fools may scoff it,
He Is the champion weather prophet.
When Autumn's glorious days have past
And many a cold anu chilling blast
Sweep over meadow, vale and hill
And bitter frOSts the grasses kill,
The GrOund-ho2 to his hole descends
And gathers round him all his friends
Looks well to see that all is right.
Then bids his family good night:
Pulls in the latch string of the door
Falls fast asleep and gins to snore-
He sleeps and snOres. and ne'er awakes
Till Candlemas upon him breaks.
Then, just at dawn, he issues FORTH
Shifts the cool breezes from the North
With long drawn breath and heaving chest
Inhales the zephyrs from the West;
Turns slowly round his eyes to feast
On the rcd glories of the East
Then on his launches faces South,
Opes wide his eyes and shuts his mouth.
Resigns him to the impending Fates
And on the day-god calmly waits.
Perchancc the heavens are overspread
With heavy clouds as gray as icGd;
Perchance athwart the wintry sky
Great mackerel shoals are scudding by;
Or the arched vault Is teeming full
OF fleecy vapOrs white Us wool,
While here and there, just peeping through
Are palinG stars, in field of blue.
No matter what may be the scene.
The GrOund-hOg, sO.emn but serene.
On his lean launches sits in state.
Ills motto being, watch and wait"
Perchance lie waits the livelong day
And still the heavens are cold and gray
The circltng sun from east to west,
Rises anu sinks and goes to rest
Hid from the world behind shrOud
OF dark, impenetrable cloud.
If so the GrOund-hOg wlnks his eye,
Dances around and shouts, Hi! hi.
Ye slumbering wOOd-chucks all come forth,
The winds and whirlwinds of the North
Have gone for aye, and gentle Spring
VIII soon for us her bOuntieS bring;
Our long continued fast we'll break
And banquet for our stOmach's sake
But it perchance, while Oh his watch,
The Ground-hcg's eagle eye should catch
A rift among the darkling clouds
That frOwn Oh earth like heavy shrouds,
He quickly turns his eyes askance.
Gives ono quick, penetrating glance
Square to the right. to see, If he
His shadow in the sun can see;
And il he sees it, well he knows
The jig is up that drifting SHOWS
And roaring winds tor six long weeks
Shall rage and howl and split their checks.
With fearful eye and visage pale
Between his legs he curls his tail,
Signs heavily, and straightway goes
Down to his den to seek reposc-
To hibernate for six weeks more
Till Winters cruel reign is DER.
Man dost thy ardent bosom yearn
GrOuad-hOg philosophy to learn:
II so, arise ere break of day
On Candlemas, and HE away
To where the Ground hog digs his hole;
Secrctc thyselt, and for thy soul
Make not the slightest noise. but keep
Thine eyes fixed on the mound-like heap.
OF earth that marks the spot, wecn,
Where the wise Ground-hog may DO seen.
BE not impatient; watch and wait;
Perhaps the Grounding may be late;
Perhaps important matters may
Dctain him in his hole all day:
lie may be seriously unwell,
Or not at home-ah who can toll?
But be thou steadfast-never finch
Yield not q quarter OF an inch
To rain, or hail or bitter frost,
Lest thy great privilege be lost .
Firm as Il rock remain ! remain.
Such chance may ne'er occur again
And you, ye superstitiOus clan,
Who pin your faith to erring man,
And who believe, dcluded ones,
In Oil John Bacr and John Baer's SONS:
Who swallow all the shallow lies
or poor Old Probabilities,
And wrestlc with the more anazIn'
Absurdities of silly HaZen.
Or strive III vain to grasp the tenor
OF the false prophecies of vennor,
And set them forth all in u row
With the worse blunderS OF DeVOe,
Who knows no more about the weather
Than screaming sca-gulls know of heather
To you, deluded ones, l say,
Turn to the GroundhOg, right away:
For though he cannot climb Il tree.
Nor navigate ship at sea,
Nor run q primary election,
Nor keep the small l-pOx In suDjectiOn.
lie is creature of rare sense
Whose weather wisdom fs immens"
Grade OF Pupils.
The following is the grade of pupils in
attendance at the James street first
'rade secondary school during the month
# January
CLASS.
Id. Heitshu 100 Frank johnson . ~
has. Leyden ........ 9llFred Lutz 81
larry Apple....... 81 John ConneII.... 81
rheO. Appel. sol Laura Sicber 81
Seckie O'BryOn..... S6IGeo. Yeagcr .. 81
n Int