The herald., 1896-09-06
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THE WEATHER
AND THE ZODIAC
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The weather toasted:
The prophets roasted.

During the season of toasting weather
it may not be inapt to have toast on
weather, or, If you prefer, weather on
toast.
The national character of a people is
determined and maintained by virtue
of its warriors, statesmen, scholars, po-
cts. and we may extend the categorical
perspective of valor, wisdom and gen.
ius by noticing the perpetual motion
empyric, the linguistic gymnast
Who says 'sez e." sez l,
And thinks sez to myself" ""d'ye see?"
"By the way and "by the by
But In the very targe eye of this per-
sistible, irrepressible weather mongef.
The principle of protection emphasizes
the Importance of governments encour-
aging and fostering its infant indus
tries in order that they may become
self-supporting. The numbers that are
now devoting their time to amateur
meteorology have SO increased, and we
may say public feeling has been engaged
to SUCH intensity, as to require that
henceforth the weather-monger be pro-
tected. The introduction of a certain
vignette in the department of weather
indications would certainly suggest
protection" for the weather prophet.
The government does a little in the
way of prognostication, but the signals
Ih0I ilodt lIOIIl lIhS StdHudIOS VI Lie
signal service stations are compromis-
ing witnesses of the impotence of the
weather bureau; for SO far it has been
able to forecast the weather for only
tWenty-four hours, while a very ordi-
nary weather. will confidently
forecast the horoscope for a much longer
period,an "Old Probabilities'' jots down
his weather phrases for the ensuing
year IN the almanac with such mus
tard-seed faith as compels the admira-
ton of the world.
Meteorology is yet in its swaddlings.
1t is important that the government
should be able not only to anticipate the
character of Its weather but to regulate
its quality and keep it up to standard
test. How often the tide Of battle
upon which depends national destiny
has been turned by precipitating an at
tack, when Jupiter Pluvius has also de-
cided upon precipitation. Napoleon
discovered to his sorrow that too much
precipitation makes 'red precipitate."
1t has been Wal established that
shower can be induced by the firing of
cannon; it remains now for some genius
TO discover how, when the spirit of the
weather has become pathetically lach-
rymose, and the cistern, the big tub, the
little tub, the five-gallon jar and the
o1shpan are full, it's feelings may be mol
lifted and the fountains Of it's grief dried
up. 1t seems to the writer that the d.
rection of the talents of the dry wits
OF each locality toward this discovery
would be heartily indorsed by the joke
ridden public, since such research might
result in the discovery of some way by
which these wits themselves might be
induced to dry up"
We may confidently expect such ad-
vancement in meteorological science as
shall soon solve this problem, and when
tv{r ,,r1I 81
we may reasonably expect to have rain
fall regulated by an automatic supply
and-demand attachment. But expert
ence teaches that most rapid advance
ment In science and art is the result
OF individual investigation and enter
prise. 1t is impotant, therefore, that
the humble weather-monger be recog-
nized as an appreciable factor in our
civilization, and every hamlet should
have its weather shop
IL IS rueful ignorance in this age of
wooden toothpicks and cycle Of cycles.
not to be posted on weather indications,
we are so sensitive upon this matter
ourself that we would as lief the vulgar
raoDle would vent it's rheum upon oui
professional gabardine as to suggest
that We are untutored in weather OBJ.
servation AS we stepped out upon the
street this morning someone spoke OF
the weather in such manner as to con-
vey the impression that he thought we
had not noticed it, and were not accus-
toned to give the subject thought.
Since this is not the first time our atten-
tion has been directed toward the
weather by we'll meaning friends, we
seize this opportunity Of CORRECTING
what seems to be wrong impression,
We are thoroughly posted in this mat
ter; in fact, we come from a race of
"oldest inhabitants" In common with