Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-07-13
CLOUD SIGNS.
eVeRv MAN MAY Dc HIS OWN
WEATHER PROPHET.


Different FERNS sHa csisss 81 che
1siitals WaWdseses In che Sky..
What eaeh Denotes.
Every one knows that there cannot
be o storm or any considerable
change Of weather without clouds in
the sky, and there 10 almost - much
difference perceptlble in clouds %
there is in faces. It must not be
supposed that clouds always foretell
q storm, for, while we find them In.
dicstive OF storms, we also find them
telling % certainly Of pleasant
weather. Sometimes they inform us
OF wind, too, and IL ID the character
OF tho clouds that must DO studied
to get at the truth, which 10 then
made plain as q pikestafi. Very lit.
tle careful attention and practice
will enable anybody to read this
language OF the clouds. It il
language, although . language OF
signs more expressive than II ex-
pressed In words. You have doubt.
less seen the deaf mute speak with
his fingers, and noticed that changes
In the forms made with his fingers
change the meaning intended to be
expressed BY him. lis just 90 with
the clouds-changes In their forms
change their meaning. These
changes are no mere chance work.
Tor ono certain change always indl-
Gates the same thing.
Clouds are not oil Of one kind, for
there 10 o great difference In size,
formation, color, and other things,
which make them indicative OF 70.
tally different conditions to come.
Years ago Luke Howard, On English
Quaker, whose business carried him
into the open cir for . considerable
part Of the day. completed . fine
classification Of clouds. which has
been In use from that time to this.
1t was one Of the most wonderful
phenomens ever witnessed In the sky
that led Howard to study the clouds.
II was the dry fog Of 1883 which
overspread Europe entirely, and Q
part Of Asia and America, reaching
to the submits Of the Alps, and con.
tinuing from one to three months.
according to the locality. During
the time occupied by this phsnom.
enon great terror prevailed among
the people, and 1t was concluded that
this time, at any rate, tho end Of the
world was ut hand.
When Howard began his study OF
the clouds he noticed that Of these
interesting objects there were three
different principal kinds. These he
denominated "cirrus," ''cumulus, I"
and STRATUS" It takes only the
glance OF an ordinary sort Of man to
SEQ the difference between these
clouds. The cirrus 10 tho highest Of
oil clouds, and you have seen II In
the form OF white 'filaments, which
IRE sometimes called mares tails I"
and "cat's tails" When they stretch
across the blue sky, like delicate lace
work, they are very beautiful. We
are told by travellers that on the
submits Of lofty mountain peaks.
from which they could look down
upon tho heavier clouds. they have
seen these wispy clrri floating over.
head, apparently % far away 10 whom
seen from the valley. Upon . calm,
summer evening. long after shutdown,
these clouds may DO seen rejecting
the most delicate tints Of colors from
tho last rays Of sunlight which illum.
mated the higher region OF the at.
mosphere. 1t may be Interesting to
know TINT the cirrl are composed OF
small crystals OF Ice, and these and
their derivatives cause the hulos
which are seen, ct times. about the
sun and moon.
1t was probably cirro.strati which
caused great display OF moon dogs"
and circles some fourteen years ago,
at Denver, and excited so much
astonishment among the supcrsti-
tious people who never wait for q
common.sense explanation OF such
phenomena. The cirrus clouds In.
dictate both storms and clear weather,
according to their appearance ills
sign that settled weather 10 at hand
II they appear In their most delicate
forms after stormy weather. After
fair weather has lasted for some time.
II they show themselves In parallel
streaks, they are the first indications
OF an approaching change. Stormy
weather close at hand 10 indicated by
cirrl when greatly tangled and
knotted, and II their borders show
family and with considerable indls.
tinctness, rain 10 surely coming.
Cumulus clouds are characteristic
OF summer. You have heard the
farmers call them 'thunder-heads"
when they raise their white, rounded
SUBMITS, glittering In the sun like
silver. above the horizon. The same
farmers will tell you that in such
form they are the forerunners OF Q
thunder storm. Sometimes. and not
infrsquently, these mountainous
looking clouds exceed In size the
great peaks OF the Andes and the
Himalsyas. On. warm. pleasant
day, II these cumuius clouds appear,
not very large but distinct, though
perhaps soft In outline and resem.
bling cotton balls. they indicate fair
and dry weather. When they grow
larger, darker, and more formidable
looking, they always foretsll storms.
II you will watch them carefully,
you will notice that just before a rain
they will seem to throw of, little
feecy clouds around their edges.
The great German poet, Goethe.
who was fond OF studying the clouds.
said OF them, that rs long as cumuli
have sharply defined borders and
white color, y continuance OF good