The sun., 1898-11-09
A COLD TIME COMING.
Goose Bones, Ragweed, Corn Husks
and WOOdchnnks Tell of a
Severe Winter.

The weather prophet has vogue.
Barometers the same;
The goose bone has no vogue at all
But it gets there just the same.
Its going to be cold winter. The
gripman-place him in either category
you wish, for the present weather
prophet scorns to influence your opinion
one way or the other-will flap his arms
like the windmill and swearfnlly speed
away, pouring maledictions on the eli
mate and on his all insufficient clothing
and depending for warmth upon the
temperature of his own language. The
hot chestnut man will transfer his wares
to less enviable position and place his
hands over the grateful and comforting
little stove, the while he "carambas' at
everything in sight and sighs for the land
of the smiling sun and the vigorous VEN
delta. It's going to be cold winter, my
countrymen, and the only man who will
welcome the wave of wind and chill will
be the plumber gentleman, whose cardiac
organ will be as warm as the heart of
Nesuvius.
To such men as are not weighted down
with the wisdom that comes of holding
communion with the visible form of
nature and hearkening to her wondrous
language, it may not be out of place to
remark that the goose bone is very wide
and nearly all white. Viola!
Is not that enough? Are you not, as
you finish that sentence, snatching your
hat and top coat and rushing off to the
coal dealer, the ulster manufacturer and |
the liver pad maker to get in your orders
before the rush commences? No? You |
tarry? Sh-h! Not before in eight years
in eight years, mind you-have the
goose bones been so white, nor yet so
wide. Sure sign.
Look at the ragweed closer. How tall
it is! Diyinely tall, the birds murmur in
their own language. When the ragweed
gets as tall as it is growing now it is as
pretty sight to non-migratorv bird as
a full hand is loser in consolation
pot. That tallness means a something.
1t means that there's going to be the
deepest kind of a snowfall around the
neck of woods where the ragweed has
reared its inviting head. 1t means that
old Madame Nature is taking care of her
own by providing class of food which
will refuse to be showed under. Now
will you go buy that sanitary all-wool
suit?
You won't? All right. Come closer.
Here's more evidence. See the corn !
,usk. Did you ever see a huskier, heav. s
er husk? Of course you didn't or you'd
,e in the exhibition business. That
leaviness tells the chosen interpreters
hat there's cold time coming. {
Proof plus proof. There's the wood. e
huck. His fur's thicker than the speech t
# joyously jagged spellbinder. That
ur has a language all its own. It says
s plainly as phonograph, ''There'll be |
cold time in the old town tonight" A a
vood chuck is as good barometer as =
nybody need wish for. Get wood '
huck and train him up in the way he
hould go, and you will use no other a
ieather warning, b
1t would seem from these conclusive fl
vidences that the proper thing to do is J
. get out and corner the woolen goods t,
,arket. The Wool Exchange is closed
ow, so you ought to have little, if any, G
Oil your skates, brush the 81
10th balls out OF your sweater and dig !,
p your fur-lined overcoat. 8,
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