Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-03
SUPERSTITIONS.
HOW CREDuLOUS OLD PEOPLE IN
TERPRET COMMONPLACE EVENTS.
some of the Weather Wisdom Handed
Down from Generation to Generation
-Narinu, other "OId Wives
Fable s"-Iheir Origin.
baltimore Herald.


There was sudden howl as if fog.
horn had been seized with nightmare
and IA somethit = that bore decided re-
sembance to Il cat S tail disappeared over
the back fence of t. Paul street resi-
dence like a ST eak Of yelow lightning.
Il don't like to see Il cat lying in the sun
in February sail the Old gentlemen, rs
he slammed Gown the window and re.
sumed his chair by the tireria c.
Why" ash ed an increduious visitor.
1T forebodes IA stormy March, was the
response. why, that's Il pr verb I've
heard since ! was a chi d, and I've never
known it to fail. But here in the city,
and particularly here in ~. Paul
street they laugh at Il fellow when he
hauls out his country saws. That
shows their ignorance, for goodness
knows a farmer knows more about the
weather in week than they do in the
city for month. There's another true
saying that when the north wind docs
not blow in February it will have its re-
vcngc in March And for every thunder
with rain in this month there will be a
cold spell in May The old proverb says
that when the snow lies in the bitches it
is waiting for more, and when it falls in
the mud it remains all winter. Look out
for rain when the flakes grow larger as
they fail. OF course, you remember the
timc.honorcd remark about the white
Christmas and the lean graveyard. You
people never pay any attention to these
signs, but the farmers, the truckers, the
milkmen-people whom YOU brush past
every day on ne streets or III the markets
believe in them because their fathers
taught them TO do So.
Il suppose every month has its own
Il. L Il
he gaZcd incrcdulcu5iy ut a nickel plated
horseshoe suspended over the mautel,
"Every one OF them, wa, the reply,
land lew Of the most ancient and least
known | will rccite for your benefit 1t is
laid that if grass grows iii January it will
grow badly during the rest Of the year.
The original saw for March says that il
the month comes in w tn an addcrs head
it goes out with a peacock tail. 1t was
believed, too that a buShcl OF March
| dust was worth kings ransom, though
this was Il rather pOetical adaptation. OF
April it is said that "a cod moist Apri
/ fills the cellar and fattens the cow, y dry
| May brings nothing.
"A dripping .une sets all things to tune
| When it rains in August it rains honey
and wine. If the first day of September
be fair the month will be good one \
| warm october brings COld February
| Ice in November forbodes plenty of slee
and bad weather during the winter, ant
warm Christmas ind Gates Il cold Easter
The first three days of any season rule
its weather. " hen it clears on sunday i
will be clear unit Wednesday, and if i
rains on the first dogday there will he
flood for forty DAYS thereafter. In sprin!
tub of rain makes a teaspoOnfu' of mud
but in autumn Il tcaspoOntul of rain makes
Il tub of mud. " e heard a thunder pea
two weeks ago That was prophecy o.
poor year Tor maple sugar but goot
year for fruit
10 YOU know how to foretell rain will
certainly, he asked, and without goin!
out of doors?' Just watch the cock
reaches. When they fly get out you
umbrella Crlchets chirp lively an,
spiders come GU, of their II SIS also befor
rain. III tell you curious Old SAW ahou
frost. The first frost, SO runs the saw
comes exactly six weeks after we hear tn
first katydid. There will be as man.
frostS in June as there are frogs in Febru
airy, forgot TO tell you also that rat
and m &c MAKE much noise before u rain
and horses snuff the air noticeaIy. Mos
of these signs Of which | have spoke
have their origin in experience and OF
servatou, and there is in them much o
truth