Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-03-03
fHE GREAT wEAraEs PRornEr.

Ne Gives n Another Evidence Of hts Power.
The ground hog continues to assert
himself. When March came in like
lamb We cautioned tho faithful to bs on
their guard that the balmy air was only
weather breeder" and that the
ground hog would surely bring to
grief those who were green enough
to suppose that spring weather
was possible before the full term of six
weeks succeeding a sunshiny Candlemas
day. The blue birds were singing yester-
day, and the fashionable promenades were
filed with baby carriages filed with
babies. But where are the birds, and the
babies, and the carriages to-day? They
have vanished like the unsubstantial
fabric of q vision, and they had better
keep in doors for q fortnight if they do
not wish to again raise the ire of the
ground hog.
A Defense Of tho GroSnd Hog.
For the INrKLLIGENcER.
In these days of hard-headed men it
gives me the highest satisfaction to know
of your pure taste, and correct judgment
concerning the ground hog and his intni-
tive wisdom in matters meteorological. He
is the most ancient and reliable of weather
prophets. regret exceedingly that
1 am not in possession Of any
records of the time when men first
observed his unerring instinct. Is there
no formal scientific treatise-no Smith.
sOnian monograph or contribution to
knowledge which can enlighten us? fit
were coleopterous insect DR.. Rathvon
could tell Us its history with certainty. As
it is, it is possible the head of this stream
Of knowledge lies away back. Among
the mound builders, perhaps, may be some
prehistoric savage, spooring the track of
gorilla or q bear, noticed the
little arctomys sporting about the hill
in cloudy weather, and, reasoning by anal.
Ogy, he concluded that a sunshining day
would add to his frolicsome spirit but We
can understand his surprise when he saw
the little fellow come out as usual, for
food or fun, and seeing his shadow, dart
into his hole. His curiosity was aroused
and he waited day after day for his little
friend without once seeing him. Mean
time the weather was intolerable, and he
would gladly have retreated into
a hole, but was placed at a disad-'
vantage; he had but scant natural
covering and had been unsuccessful
in robbing another animal of his. More
over, he had but small gusto for nicety
and the beasts with nice perception of the
first law of nature, eluded the uncom
promising savage, so that he was in straits
between hunger and cold thus his neces
sites gave him the best Of opportunities
for observing and coming to sound conclu-
sions about the mysterious movements
of these little animals. Perhaps his
mental habits were such that he did not
care to fix knowledge by the aid of hero
glyphics, tradition being more favorable to
the development of his social nature. And
thus tradition.-ever kind to believers
perpetuated this important piece of human
wisdom.
Right glad am to hear from such as
have not unlearned the wisdom of their
fathers and become stranded on the sand
bar of unbelief. For, what has science
substituted for the genial traditions and
legends which it assumes to displace !?
Witness the unreliable prOgnosticatiOn
of our weather-cocks and weather-gauges
not one but would give half his exist
ence for reputation as enduring as that
of the unboastful ground hog. In short,
always feel that life has still something
worth living for, when find so artless o
child of nature as the 1NTELLIGENCER, for
we are not driven down to find exact data
and furnish authenticated records for
everything we see and hear about. Some
thing is taken on trust, and fancy is not
quite shorn of her wings. CREDO.