Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-07
WEEPING SKIES.
A Good Day for a Man to 90 into His
Hole and Pull the Hole in
After Him.
Some. Moral Reflections on this Very
Disagreeable Weather-Re.
ligion vs.. Science.

The old man with the weather eye was in
his element sgsin yesterday. He called to
mind all the cranky weather spells" IN the
last fifty years, and endeavored to prove that
the present sudden change was absolutely
nothing as compared with what happened in
the olden time. The old man is very careful,
however, to fill up the largest place by the
winter FIRE, and he gets his meteorological
information by looking through the window.
Business men and school children get better
idea of what the present weather indicates
than other people. Their experience is OF
the practical kind. Many have asked them.
selves the question, what use in the economy
of nature does such weather subserve. To
this query, the natural philosopher OF the
APPEAL in the Intervals OF inglorious ease
twixt police items and critique OF the
opera, has given a small share OF his gigantic
intellect Under these circumstances the
conundrum had no show. The answer ia
plain. A great many people 90 through the
world, totally obliyious Of science. They
pay no attention 10 the study of nature.
For these the blizzard is
wIsELY-oRDAINED CORRECTIVE.
No welI-resnlated m an, for instance should
be ignorant OF the law of equilibrium, or the
poetry and romance of astronomy; and yet
many would go down to their graves I'M
mindful of the fscls and faIeies of nature
were it not for a slippery sidewals. How
many a man has been called face 10 face
with the beautiful law OF equilibrium by
| that thin, innocent but deceptive coating
upon the streets! He will never forget the
lesson enforced upon him. What a wide
vista it opens 20 the mind. The laws of fall
| ing bodies, the attraction of gravItation, the
| impenetrability, Vis utua and other quail
| tiles OF matter are taught in a way never
| to be forgotten. A man is also aroused 10
| the Necessity of study of astronomy, espe-
cially shooting stars. The inventive genius
of the people is awakened, and there are men
who wear cushions in the seat Of their pants.
| THE RELIGIOUS VIEW.
| But now comes in the venerable con-
hict between religion aud science. While
science rejoices, and ia gamer by such
/ weather, religion puts in a demurrer and
claims that the slippery pavements cause
serious backslidiug in the church. The man
| who swore off from swearing, drinking,
smoking and other sins is severely tested.
Take man who is walking blythely along
the streets, thinking serenely OF the last
prayer-meeting he attended, and the numer-
GUS drippings from the sanctuary he has OBJ
tanned. He is congratulating himself upon
his escape from sinful ways. Let such a
man, whose thoughts are on the Eernal and
Infinite, take sudden, involuntary tumble
on the sidewalk. Whist is the result? The
streets, be it remembered, are dirty and
watery, aud Brown four religious friend) has
on a brand new beaver, lavender overcoat
and a pair of light colored kid gloves. The
beaver rolls into the gutter, the cane does
likewise, the face OF the gold watch is shat
tered, while Brown falls on the tail Of his
overcoat and the palms OF his haL1s. The
hsllelojah on his lips is hurriedy changed
into famous quotation from Pngfors. "He
said dammit He rallies and tries to think
of lottier things, but when he sees how dirty
| and smesry his overcoai, kids and clothes
generally are, he gives vent to all
THE LoNc-sLUMBERING PROFANITY
of his nature Hastily collecting his disjectc
suerbra, il occurs 10 him that h. would like
to taste once more little Of shat good old
whisky" with which he was wont 10 daily
He meets friend at the saloon, who pre-
dicted that his swearing off" would not las
long But il is not necessary 10 dwell upor
the painful details 1t will suffice to say
that Brown goes home very much in the con
dition of "1oodles," and snears that "ar
honest man-hic-is sman 'at don't care /:
d-p." All OF this is very sad, and it grieve
the advocates OF religion very naturally.
Such ere some of the reflections occurring
to the religious mind of the weather reporter
on such day. Yesterday was the mos
trying day of the SERIES Overshoes were o
no avail, because the ice on the sidewalk
was covered with water. The wild efforts o
numerous couples who began 10 fall abou
the same time and to grab for each othei
added something to the good humor Of thu
day. 1t was an occasion requiring grea
nicely of eye and delicacy of touch.
A TOUCHING INCIDENT.
: Probably this local could not be more fl
tingly wound up than by narrating LITTLE
incident. Yesterday afternoon an APPEAL
reporter noticed tall man standing on tn,
corner of Main aud Madison streets, talking
to half dozen people.
Ste all nonsense" said the big man
. "about this being hard walking. All yol
have 10 do is walk as you usually do, ant
you will never fall"
When the big man had gone several in thu
crowd speculsted about him.
"Who is he?" said one.
81 think he is from Boston"
al think he is from Minnesota
"No; he must be Canadian. What d
You think, Smith,"
"Well," said Smith, in surly way, "
think be is a liar"