Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-11-08
A SEVERE WINTER.
That is What All the Weather Prophets
Say we will Have.
The POssums Have Heavy Growth
of Fur, Young Lambs are Grow
ing Wool, and Many Other
Time-Honored Signs All
Agree With the Wealth
er Prophets.

All the predictions so far published all
agree that we are to have an exceptionally
severe winter. A great many doubt the in
falibiity of such predictions, but the sub
joined ones are practically unanimous in
announcing a cold winter. They are from
an Ohio farmer who says he has closely
observed the doings of the weather for more
than forty years:
"Coons aud possums have heavy growth
of fur coming on. The chipmunk and the
squirrel are the busiest little animals in the
world. The insects have left the north side
OF the trees in the woods, as you will notice,
and the f athers on the geese are heavier than
ever before. My young lambs are growing
wool that seems marvellous, and sheep that
have been sheared are rapidly regaining their
fleece. These signs we're visible in 1861 and
1858. Another sign of hard winter is the
large hazelnut crop. This means also that
lots of boy babies will be born to take the
place of those who will be killed in the com
''That prediction Is followed by others of
| the same import from all parts of the couu-
| try. However, this is not An unusual occur
renee at this season, because it is just the
| time of the year when the prophets are bust
est, and nine years OF of ten tney insist that
very cold weather is coming.
| An Indiana man comes to the front with
| the announcement that corn husks are thick
or this fall than usual, which, he says, is an
| infallible sign that there will be cold weather
during January and February. Boston,
most famous unofficial prophet says that he
has been close observer Of the English
sparrow for years, and that the birds, which
abound in the vicinity of Boston Common,
| are growing feathers on their legs. There
is no boubt in his mind that this is a sign of
an extremely cold winter.
Frost soon
| Clear moon
is a saying that MAY be heard fir. auently in
Pennsylvania. An old time weather sign
was the activity displayed by the beavers in
laying IN extra large supply of winter food
month earlier than usual when a cold sea-
!. son was at hand. Similar activity on tht
part of bears gave warning of severe season
TO the hunters III early days. Bear tracks
after the first fall of snow indicated a milo
winter. In the fall before cold ard early
winter chipmunks are unusually abundant
They are always housed by October /. Be
fore mild winter, however, they are to bt
seen as late as December l.
The farmers say that when cows below il
the evening it is safe to look out for snow
during the night. When cattle collect nea
the barn long before night and remain hud
died near it until late in the morning,
} severe winter is coming.
, WheH the donkey blows his horn
lis time 10 mouse your nay and corn
Is an old saying. A thaw is to be expected
when a cat is seen washing her face with he
0 back to a fire.
6 The old German saying. "If on Candle
3 mas Day (February q it is bright and clea
the grounding will stay in its den, thus in
dicating that more SHOWS and cold are /
l come, but if it SHOWS or rains he will cree
out, as winter has ended" is responsible fo
0 the popular superstition regarding ground
0 hog day.
0 Rural observers assert that hogs gathe
: and store straws, leaves and hay before col
', weather sets in. If a mol digs n hole tw
and half feet deep, it is an indication ths
. very severe winter is at hand; if the hol
5 is two feet deep, the cold will not be quite s
3 severe: if one foot deep, the winter will b
2 mild. Partridges drum only in fall when
: mild and open winter follows. A scarcit
of squirrels in the autumn indicates the al
. proach of a cold winter.
The old standby of the farmer prophet
o however. is the breast bone of the COOS
$ The whteness of the bone indicates ii
4 amount of snow that will fall during II
r winter.
=, - II the Novem ber goosebone be thick,
D So will the winterweather be-
3 If the November goose bone be thin,
n So will the winter weather be.
N Ii the bone Is red or has many red spot
" " expect a cold an stormy winter; but if on
u a few spots are visible, the winter will
10 mild.
10 An authority says that the saying: Ever,
o thing is lovely and the goose hawk, higt.".
. not "hangs high" as it is frequently quote
: lis Il weather proverb, meaning that whe
% % wild geese fly high it is sign of fair weatl