The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-09-19
VOL. XXVI.-NO. 46.

hundred years ago. In the early half of
the century that was regarded as the most
valuable portion of such publications. Any
person over middle-age can recollect what
implicit general reliance used to be placed
in those prophecies The believers in
astrology were never more credulous than
the latter patrons of the false teachers of
meteorological signs and changes. In every
house the almanac was hung within ready
reach, and was consulted more frequently
than any other book Men who were
noted for intelligence and judgment in all
other matters were as little children in
their Difference to the arbitrary rulings of
the almanac-makers with respect to atmos-
pheric conditions. When the predictions
came true, as sometimes happened by the
law of chance, the faith of the people was
so confirmed and strengthened that not a
hundred failures suficed to shake it. They
might have doubts in politics or religion,
aut they clung to the weather prognosti-
cations with unconditional confidence.
In point of fact there was more to be
learned about meteorOlogy from the birds
and beasts than from all the almanacs
The Oriental monarch who exchanged his
weather-guesser for a jackass, because the
latter foretold rain by pricking up his ears
when the former had predicted dry day,
was wise in his generation and had true
courage of conviction. 'tOur brother, the
ass" as the old monks used to callh i'm, is
undoubtedly born with an ear for the dis
tant music of storm which his rider may
not hear. 1t was a well-understood fact
among the old plainsmen that the buffa-
loes could foretell deep snow, and that
the prairie-dogs could scent wet spell sew
eral days ahead. The beaver surely has
some occult means of knowing that freshet
is coming Possibly it is not always true
that hog carrying straw or dog eating
grass betokens falling weather, but the sign
often proves good; and there can be no
doubt that when the spiders spread their
cob-we5s in the morning dew a fine day
will follow, whatever the skies may indi-
cate to the contrary.
The weather-telling almanacs have out
lived their popularity, however. In few
remote corners where the schoolmaster
and the newspaper have not yet penetrated
there is still lingering fondness for such
literature, but the demand is not sufficient
to keep one old hand-press in motion for a
single day of the year. Our almanacs now
bring us definite knowledge, nice pictures,
and gems of humor and poetry; and the old
fraud strives in vain to survive itself
through the laughable antics of the Signal
Service In their present form these an
nual messengers deserve a hearty welcome
in all households. They serve gracious
and rational purpose. The spirit of civili-
zation has breathed into them quality Of
sound sense and good morals They have
been redeemed and disenthralled from the
sin and shame of former times, and their
contents correspond in effect to that imag-
mary congregation of all the days of the
year which Charles Lamb drolly describes
'They come some in green, some in white,
he says, ''but old Lent and his family were
not yet out of mourning. Rainy days came
in dripping; and sunshiny days helped then
to change their stockings. Wedding-day
was there in bis marriage 6nery, little
the worse for wear. Payday came late, as
he always does; and doomsday sent word
he might be expected"