The daily Cairo bulletin., 1883-12-25
A Mild Winter,

"Muskrats amt troubling themselves
much about hard winter said an old
hunter yesterday. ''You don't fool
them much on the weather." he con-
tinued; they're better than an alma
nae. I've watched them good many
years over in the American bottom, and
can always tell along in the fal.
whether we are going to have an open
winter or not. How can | tell?" ad-
dcd the Nimrod, repeating the report
Ell $ question. EASY enough. l don't
have to feel for it, either. If it's going
to be hard winter, you'll see the
muskrats commence house-building
early in the fall, and by this time they
will have their mounds on the marshes
built up of mud and sticks and leaves
three or four feet above water, But if
the weather is going to be mild, you'll
see nothing of that kind" A colored
man from Bouhomme bottom where
he has lived most OF the time since the
war, was standing by, and added his
testimony as to the signs of the season.
al tell you, boss, said he, "de groun'
hog am de animal dat goes by. He's
learned more about de weather dan all
de rest OBJ de beasts II he kin see his
shadow when he comes outen his hole
in February he gifts back in de groun
quick and stays thar six weeks longer.
Then you can bet thar Il be a late
spring. He's jest as smart about de
winter, foah if it's gwine to be warm
he jes' scratches shaller hole to hide
in; that's all he wants. But II it's gwine
ter freeze hard he'll goin deep and make
hisself warm nest Of dry grass and
leaves. De groun hog amt troublin'
any bout cold weather now. He's
made up his mind it's no use an is
going to lib close to detop oh de groun'
widout any bed dis winter amt got
any use for biz wood pile dis winter,
nor you won't either, boss and the
colored scientist walked away! Look
ing for further information, the reporter
questioned a well known poulterer in
Union market and was informed that
the inner skin Of chicken gizzards peel
ed off very easily, never failing sign
they say of green Christmas. Another
point was gained from farmer who
says the corn husks are remarkably
l..n and light this fall, another evil
dence recognized as promise of thin
ice.
Mallard ducks have very few feathers
this fall. you needn't fear much cold
weather when the ducks are not well
feathered," remarked Judy, the game
dealer. Another thing" said he, "the
mil IL ha .nt
They are feeding north of here and
will come down later and stay around
here as they did two years ago Chris
Meiderwciser, of Baden, cites the old,
infallible German sign of the breast
bone of a goose, to prove that fuel
ought TO be cheap this winter Chris
killed goose for dinner last Sunday,
ard after eating the meat from the
breast found the bone so thin that he
could see through it, If the winter
were going to be very cold he SAYS,
'the goose-bone would have been three
times IS thick
Ripe tomatoes, picked daily from the
vines, are for sale on Union market,
luxury, Grundemeyer SAYS, that is not
afforded so late in the season one wear
in ten.
II further evidence is needed to con-
vince the skeptical that there is no ne
cessity for squandering fortune in
coal. 1t is afforded in the willy catfish of
the Missouri river. When the stream
is going to freeze up, the catfish knows
it long enough in advance to prepare
himself with a good thick hide. John
son, the ishmonger, declares the cat
fish had skins like whales last winter,
but now their winter covering is as thin
as Silks LoutS Globe Democrat