Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-11-14
A Marvellous Book.

For at least dozen years We have
studied with interest the extraordina-
ry productions Of the government
printing Office at Washington. Moth
ing has come to hand up to date more
remarkable than a small book just
published, ut the expense of the tax
payers, by Gen. w. b. Hazen. 1t is
entitled "Weather Proverbs" and it
consists of about $50 pages of dead
head literature fit to make our hair
curl.
1t seems to have been the ambition
of Gen. Hazen to 60 down to prosper
ity as the author of complete die
tionary of proverbs, jingles, supersti-
tions, witticisms, and fallacies relating
to weather prognostig gations. He sent
out circulars to all his observers, and
to many other men and women in diff
ferent parts of the world, requesting
contributions. The result is volume
prepared under the direction of Brig
adler and Brevet Major-General w.
b. Hazen, Chief Signal Officer of the
Army, by II. II. G. Dunwoody," and
published by authority of the Secre-
tary Of War"
In his preface Gen. Hazen asserts
that the weather forecasts of the signal
Office "are not based upon the pro-
verbs here given, but wholly upon
observations and generalizations ac-
cepted by metorologists." Nobody
will be quite prepared to accept this
statement. If the proverbs, signs and
prognostics contained in Gen. Hazen's
dictionary are not used in the business
of the Office, why does he spend his
time and the peoples money in collect
ing and publishing them?
The very first item of weather in
formationis under the heading "Ass,"
and is as follows:
"when the ass begins TO Bray
he sure we shall have ruin that day.
Proceeding down the alphabet we
learn from Gen. Hazen that "bears
and coons are always restless before
rain :" that "when cats sneeze it is a
sign of rain, and when cats are snor-
ing, foul weather follows y that if q
cat washes her head behind her ear,
it is also sign of rain; that rain is
indicated if dog howls when some
body leaves the house that "when
the spaniel sleeps it indicates rain )"
that pigs uneasy, grunting, and
huddling together indicate cold" be-
sides many other equally interesting
things. Here are few of Gen.
Hazen's facts about animals:
"BULL.-If the bull leads the van
in going to pasture, rain must be ex-
pected; but if he is careless and al
lows the cows to precede him, the
weather will be uncertain"
"DoxKEY When the donkey blows his horn
'Tis time to house your hay and corn"
""CATTLE.-When a COW stops and
shakes her foot, it indicates that there
is bad weather behind her."
The Chief Signal Officer has also
studied the habits of birds with great
benefit to science:
"CoCKs.-Cocks are SAID to clap
their wings in an unusual manner be-
fore rain, and hens to rub in the dust
and seem very uneasy.
"If the cock molt before the hen,
We shall have weather thick and thin,
But IL the hen molt before the cock,
We shall have weather hard as 4 block"
PEAoocKs:
"When tho peacock loudly bawls,
| Soon well have both rain and squalls"
But Gen. Hazen's suggestions are
not always gloomy; they are often
cheerful and sometimes even sportive
IF the sky beyond the clouds is blue,
BE glad, there is picnic for you"
when there is enough clear sky to
patch Dutchman's breeches, expect
fair weather."
If a Sunday sunset is obscured
there will be rain before Wednesday
He has discovered that the fish bite
best "when the moon is in the tail y
but eff the moon runs low, expect
warm weather." If eels are very
lively, it is sign of rain.
Altogether, the appearance of this
book marks an epoch in the govern,
ment publishing business. In spite
Of Gen. Hazen's disclaimer, it throws
light on the mysterious methods OF
the bureau, as well on the long jour
neys of inspection which the CHIEF
signal officer finds it necessary to take
during the summer season of the year
He does not travel across the con.
tinent for pleasure merely. He goes
because he feels it to be his duty TO dis
cover for himself whether the ass i:
braying in the Ohio Valley, whether
the chipmunk is abundant in the
lower lake region, and whether the
cows are shaking their hind feet in
the extreme Northwest. If he finds
that such is the case, Gen. Hazer
knows that we are going to have rain
New York Sun.