The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-07-18
Signs OfRain.

The LudSx Appeal, Va, is favored
with the following communication from
well known gentleman of Petersburg,
and the matter it contains will prove of
interest to all, but specially to farmers:
l have lived my threescore and pere-
grinating on my ten years allotted to
man as the portion of time which he is
permitted to spend on this terrestrial
abode. During this time have been
somewhat observant of the sayings of
the past and present. If it has ever.
been your good fortune to visit the
farmers, the sinew OF the country, you
will find in every community some old
gentleman who will give you some signs
for rain or snow Gas they call it), for a
change of the weather, for wet or dry,
according to circumstances. Now /
propose to give your readers some e1gh-
teen of these signs, some of them reach
ing back a hundred years, and some of
them are very indicative. Some l have
yet to see fail as a precursor of rain,
snow or general change in the weather.
I. To see fowls oiling and picking
their feathers in dry spell, look for
look for rain or falling weather.
2. To see the sun set behind a dim
cloud, is sign of falling weather in
forty-eight hours.
8. To see stones covered with mois-
ture on clear summer day, is indica-
tive of a warm, damp atmosphere, and
rain may be looked for in a short time.
a. To see stream entirely dried up,
suddenly commence running with clear,
fresh water without previous rain is a
good sign for rain.
S. 1t never rains on the night the
whippoorwill chirps his doleful song.
6. If it is cloudy and the whippoor-
will ceases singing look for rain before
day.
7. To see the armament very thickly
set with stars and meteors flying pro-
miscuously, look for rain.
s. To see the sun or moon surround
ed by circle, is a sign that rain or
snow is at hand.
9. To see the killdeer bird flying and
circling high in the air and making
his peculiar killdeer note, look for wind,
cold, rain or snow.
10. To see hog picking up trash
in his mouth and running about squeal-
ing, look for wind, cold, rain or snow.
II. To see snakes crawling about in
a dry spell, look for rain or snow.
IL. To hear the peacock halloo Of
tener than usual, is sign for rain or
snow.
Il. To see ducks and geese washing
themselves without water, is good
sign for rain.
IA. To see the long winged ants
leaving their holes and flying away, look
for rain soon.
Is. To see clouds in the east before
sunrise, is sign for rain in the even
ing.
I6. To see it sprinkle rain in the
morning, is good sign for rain in
twelve hours.
II. Thunder in the morning is the
sailors warning; thunder at night is the
sailors delight.
Is. To see lightning directly under
the north star, below the horizon, or
just above, is never failing sign. l
have watched it for thirty years, and
have yet to see it fail to rain in from
twelve to forty-eight hours. l have
oftener seen other signs fail, but this
never. 1t is the surest sign except this
of the old darkey's which is to see it
cloudy all over and pouring down in
the middle. Some of your readers,
Mr.. Editor, will, say, no doubt, there
is still work for the fool-killer. Well,
so may it be, but l would like such to
tell me why two and two make four ?
He can't tell, yet such is the fact.
There are thousands of such facts, and
yet there can be no reason given for
such truths.