The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-11-30
What The Goose Bone snys.

4
| The foreshadOwiug of the approach
ing winter, as is read from the dots and
lines of the goose bone, is not a cheer
full story. The promise given forth OF
sleet. snow and cold is a gloomy pic
ture for the poor to look upon, and the
many whose short purse will not per-
nit them TO lay in bountiful supply OF
fuel will shiver at the thought Of the
kind of weather that the little bone
| foreteils for the next four months.
| There will be more cold and wet weather
than the peopls of this latitude have ex.
perienced for many a winter, and the
cold spells will be longer and more Sc
we're than usual. The bone is dark at
both ends, which indicates a long win
ter. Winter weather we i'll have in
November, and the ice and snow will
be familiar sights far along into March.
The goose from whose bone this study
was taken was batched in April and
killed after the ;des of Septe nsber.
The bone IS wonderfully marked, the
dots and breves and lines mingle all
along the keel, thus indicating very
changeaole weather, but the breyes
mostly turn down and are heavy, show
Ing that the general character of the
winter will be falling, cold weather.
The danger period is longer for Novem-
Der than for any other month. running
from the 10Th to the end. with the most
severe weather falling between the ooh
and 10th. and at any time within this
period clustering srows and unseasona-
by cold weather may be looked for.
The first danger period in December
extends from the 1st to the 5.p. after
which there Will probably be few davs
of sunshIny weather The heaviest
storm period of the. month centers in
the Christmas holidays, beginning on
the 18Th aud passing TO the 9th. At
the opening of the holidays there will
be very foul and pro 1a5ly some of the
coldest weather of the season, and these
cold lines run along The bone until
abont the middle of JAnuafw Watch
this period, but above all, prepare for it.
1t is more than probable that the earth
will be covered with snow when Christ.
mas dawns, and that a cold north wind
will be blowing so that Christmas fires
will have to be big and bright for COM
fort. December "a and % will be the
darkest storm days of the'month. On
the bone all the Indications of wet, cold
and stormy weather meet about this
time. 1t is curious clustering of bad
signs, such as is seldom seen on the
bone, and mixture of weather may he
looked for with wet and cold pre-
dominating. During this long spell of
bad weather some of the cots on the
bone are very eaTk, which means very
cold. and 5he mercury will probably not
se seeh far away from zero during the
holiday week.
The new year viii come in cold and
eisa- with the first danger period COM
neneiDg on the 4th. There are three
Storm periods in this month, the sec
oaa commencing about the 14.h and
tEs- last about the 23d of the month.
The dots That appear on the Bone Nd 70
the middle of the month are heavy-
from about lhe 10Th to the 18th esue-
cisiIy so-and during this period very
cold weather may be looked for. During
December aud January the mercury
Will frequently be below zero probably
remaining there for days, and the Sus-
quehanna will probably freeze over.
Tor February short storm periods run
all along The bone, and tbs general
character of the month will be stormy
and clustering, with some very cod
days Al The first of the month and araip
at the close. These severe spells and
co7tinued cold weather will keep the
les and the snow in the mountains, ard
the first spring month will be as hoary
old winter. AS the bone ends very dark,
it is very probable that March will be
repetition of November. In. that case
the farmers will find it very difficult TO
break ground, and all kinds.-of gegeta-
ton will be very late in getting a start.
Il Will not be safe to put things in the
ground too soon. as such winter will
be likely 10 be followed by killing frosts
far into April. The writer remembers
20 have seen only ole other bone to
compare with the one this yeag, and
thai season there were frosts as late as
Nay. Every indication, from the read
ing of the bone, points to backward
spring, and the gardrers who have their
richest harvest in early 7egeIation will
find their work risky and difficult.