The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-27
IT WILL BE A COLD WINTER.
WEATHER PROPHET FRANCIS OF FOs-
TEG'S MEADOW SAYS so.

or Snip and Pins HIS Faith ON the Moon
ssa Inertia-His Predictions for the
Fast Pasted Up IN the Fosters Meadow
Post Omee-ae Sells His Futures.
Perhaps you felt uncomfortable YESTERDAY
oppressed BY tho sense Of something unusual
impending. Maybe you didn't want to get up
In tho morning. fingered longer than usual
about dressinG. didn't care for breakfast, and
lay around all day discussing the emptiness OF
lifc and the hollow mockery Of things in gen
eral And possibly you will feel the samo way
to-day. and tomorrow. and the day after. And
you will wonder In q dull. despairing way what
has como over you. and talk about malaria and
ouinine pills. Your doctor may give It some
other name and prescribe doses. But don't you
bclicvo him. 1t isn't what no says at all. It's
Inertia
Fortunately. the state Of lnssitude won't
last long. for the Inortia" is going to break
through on next Tuesday and then everything
will be restored to its natural tone.
All these conjectures and predictions are
based upon tho authority OF gentleman from
Fosters Meadow. Long Island. whose reputa-
ton MS q prophet has spread for miles around
that little village. His vulgar name Is William
P. Francis. but no is moro usually addressed as
the Springfield Prophet THE Suns attention
Was called to him by the following letter:
roSTEk MEADOW, sept. S3 1911.
sUy's AsTRoNoMER-Dedr Sir: Do you know
OF any person that can foretell Of storms ono
year In advance?
Gun.
There will be a storm about the 30th Of
September have not missed one since 1882.
(There are certain periods Of storms that oc-
cur every year,
In regard to storms. they are like spring
tides. occurring on or soon after certain time.
] have had bulletins placed in the Fosters
MEADOW Post Office. havo had witnesses to
sign their names that was correct There 10
storm period from Sept 20 to Oct. g.
Il would like to meet with you and explain
moro fully. Please address
''wM. P. FRANCIS.
Fosters Meadow. L. l.. N. Y"
Ono Of THE Suns assistant astronomers
went down on tho first train that left Long
Island City after the Prophets letter was re-
ceived. The station agent at Fosters Meadow
hadn't heard OF Mr. Francis. but everybody
else in the village seemed to know him. His
homo is In n little white cottage about three
miles from the depot. He and his family oc-
cupy one half the cottage. and some
Germans occupy the other half. A little
man, bent with age and whose face was deco
rated with white Galway whiskers announced
in n trcmulous voice that the Prophet wasn't
at home. He was tho father OF the Prophet
and spoke OF him with veneration and ave.
Was Willie real prophet WE'LL Just ask Mr.
Remsen. the big farmer over near the toll gate
on the plank road. or the Postmaster. or any Of
dozen of the biggest farmers around. Didn't
he have ocular demonstration Of his wisdom
when he went to plant his turnip seed and his
f@S p'us "aAs WV, was ~ "l'' "au sa'u 70
ting in yer turnups Well didn't I pay any at
tenti9n to that, for the peas were rs green as
s sGqs be- rs ks hs sf sat xs tss
but didn't pay any attention to what he said.
Y b. he went en- a5d pantfa the stun himself
down md he told me, to, cut into tree; cut
Gss i S 70 e as come the de e1se
here with me at midnight, says he, and you'll
at him: did%t Want to 60 tkat nsht. BIT he
made . me- s and sure,s you a,sitting there the
nups hs planted came up beautiful. ipianted
mine three, days later and they all rotted.
s 70 pane he the sesa ao t%e
ss% FSs%s ~ n ss5s tns
:, But there were lots OF strangers to testify to
ths Of the sSn
him Several Of the farmers wanted to 90 of into
psr1tSn,e ne with Willie; He wasn't strong,
the Prophet wife. was seen next. She looked
uiboppoluIlHBiy SOOu LuIuTeu anu ne6Ituy LOT
H1 a Ms she q
who hired him. He was away Just then. In
ths S f he p.odusgs 90 ss s ia s He
ket; but peddled il from door 70 door; usually
In BROOKLYN, Four chubby children; two boys
We're ' the Frophets s{ks heirs IN inc fafuen ine'
and Ths aHn to the the
Prophet. and believed in him. too On the wall
was J., pasted s, ~ scrap OF paper with pencil
PsSr. F5.9si. n,ophesy 1891 mild winter. Rain Doc
O. RAIN ,% b Esr' H. spIf spS WISE
$ E:i% S S;s IS" + Il: ''" '''
Iprophesy Jan. 20 WAS coolest day.
1t was evening, when the Prophet reached
chested man. with nervous ways. His brown |
eyes were sparkling and dancing all tho time. |
TUFTS Of hair below the cheek bones. The |
limos Of his iace came almost to point at the
the ead Ths
bead was at ts tho the HSo
mInsd With ths light q eptk RusisG wa" ''u
e the frcph"s herr msts
. year in advance How do I do III BY BY de- de-
IN o the os SS ss
snS s ass hs and %e 3R. e Tn what
1ow in the trees. Now. read some timo ago
About tho sap flowing at tho same time In
that wrote that didn't know what made
tho sap. flow. l know, It's the moon.
Tho earth moves around the sun once a year,
doesn't It? Well. that makes four seasons.
II takes Mrs two years. so there's only two
s sss a s s
see2 ] tell you. it's wonderful. / can toll
things Y your In advance. l can do It by look;
tho earth. That's 1t. 70 SEQ. the moons
drawing all the time: got its effect on tho
touches tho earth. that means lots you know.
I get my knowledge by reading what you as
out you fellows. tell YOU. But you know lots.
It's wonderful. Then l study the plants aud
the trees.
" Two been foretclling since go now. and
haven't made any mistakes. Mr.. Rueckel. the
put MP any lately because tho farmers who buy
o1t to /