Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-08-06
A UNIVERSAL SUBJECT.
DISCUSSED BY PEOPLE OF ALL
AGES AND CLIMES.
sailors Arr EecogniAcd IA the Fest of
Weather ophets--somc OF tho
Accepted Indications OF u
BicwlnS storm.


What will the weather be to-
morrow"
Pertinent questions arc very orton
heard. The weather ia tho subject on
which men talk TO zach other most,
and ON which women pass condolences
more often than they do regarding
new bonpo's and spring dresses. IL is
the ono subject in the world ON which
people are most willing To talk be-
cause, probably, they know least about
IT, Nine persons out of every ten that
you meet are ready 10 tell you what
the weather will be tomorrow, and in
ninety-nino tines out Of 100 tho pre-
diction will be wrong, says the Kansas
City journal. Men take their UNI
in the morning, expecting that il will
bn stormy, and tho sun beats down
and smitcS them ON the head to the
verge OF humiliation, Tho next day
men leave their umbrellas ut home
and tho Hood gates Of the sky arc
opened and the earth doluged. One
day women go out shopping with
thin slippers and dainty white skirts
and before thoy can inquire the
price Of the latest freak In dainty lin
gorio the walks become muddy and
their thin paper soles nro soaked and
thoir pretty rutlos hodraggled; the
next day they go out IN trim wet
weather street gear and the dust ilios
into their flannel dresses aud tho heat
scorchos and dnrkons their fresh com
plcXions, Tho farmer predicts that IL
will rain on the morrow and his sons
prepare to go fishing; when tho NOR
row comes the day Is 80 bright that no
we'll educated fish would touch II
worm. SO the boys arc sent into the
corniold with cultivalor Anon the
farmer predicts fair weather, and his
ncighbor pitches In and lays low II
whole field Of fine clover; thereupon
the clouds rise, tho rain falls, and the
entire crop Of hay il so bluckoned be-
fore IL can be cured for the NOW that
it is worth little except as top drcss-
ing fog the potato field.
llore are some Of the approved
baromotric Indications: In the spring
or autumn II sudden fall Of the barom-
eter indicates wind; in the summer IL
the weather is hot, thunder storm IL
prcsaged; in winter n sudden fall after
frost means n change in the wind and
II thaw. A sudden rise after frost In
winter indicates snow. Sudden
changes of the barometer ARE never TO
be interpreted as indicating either wet
or dry weather; IL Is the slo,V, steady
rise or fall that shows this. A rise Of
mercury late in the autumn after u
long continuance OF wet and windy
weather generally shows the approach
Of northcrly winds and frost.
Tho clouds are approved indicators
Of approaching storms. After fair,
clear weather light streaks of cloud
are the first signs of u change. II the
clouds accumulate and descend into
tho lower atmosphere rain onsues.
When the sun appears TO set in fog
with well defined dark and crimson
streaks alternating wind and rain ARE
expected. Whcn, in summer, during
fine hot days, masses Of cloud, clear
rounded and with brilliantly lighted
edges, are seen boating In the mir no
change may be expected; II towards
evening these clouds however, gather
on the horizon and rise again sharply
outlined, while u decided stiffness per-
vades the air, thunder storm Is com
ing. A grcenish tingo in the gray OF
evening promises wet and In general
any increase Of clouds towards night
shows an abundance Of moisture In tho
air that must be retured to the earth
in rain. A dappled or notified sky
never fails TO insure fair weather.
Halos around the moon presage rain
even II there are no intervening clouds
to account for the formation Of the
circle.
Before rain flies are moro active
and bite or sting freely; ants and bees
are active about their nests, and spid-
ers quit their recesses and crawl
about. When gnats fly in the rays OF
the setting sun they promise fine
weather on the morrow, but II they
fly under the shade OF trees ii will
rain Snais and slugs come out In
greater numbers both before and after
rain and frogs make more noise in
the ponds at the same time. Insects
come out In greater numbers before
rain and fly near the earth, and for
that reason the fight of swallows Is
low at such times. The peculiar
mournful sound Of the night hawk in
pursuit of its insect prey is supposed
To promise rain. Fish bite more free
ly, and are seen to rise 10 the surface
and leap after flies mt such times.
Pigs are uneasy and make much noise
before storm, and mich cows show
their young when rain is approaching.
Sheep show uncommon avidity in feed
ing on grass on the approach Of rain
and ms soon rs satisfied retire TO the
nearest shelter. Cattle run before an
approaching storm, II in the open,
though cattle in confined field will
start for the nearest shelter, either
trees or sheds. Peacocks cry out in
the night with their shrill clamorous
shout when rain is coming. and guinea
fowls are more than ordinarily noisy.
Birds generally may be seen trimming
their feathers before storm in order
to distribute the oil, which is their
protection from wet, more evenly over
the surface Of their bodies. Ducks
and geese are clamorous for food just
before storm and make a noisy clat-
ter in their ponds.