The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-08-17
ARP ON THE DOG DAYS.
Answers Inquiries About the Present
Season.
GIVES LESSON IN ASTRONOMY.
Atlanta constitution.

Atlanta Constitution.
It seems to me that l had better
answer son1e O: these interesting ques-
tions through the far-reacbing medium
OF the press Here are three inquiries |
| from among your readers who wish to |
know something definite about these |
go called dog days. OF course, know |
only what I get from books. but a Vas
multitude have not the books nor ac-
cess to them Whether the advent
and the influence OF dog days be a su
parstition CT a fact, all that Is known
should be disseminated.
P.inv and Herodotns both wrote
about dog days 400 years before Christ
Ancient astronomers and modern
ores agree In asoribIng 10 Sirius 8 yer!
malignant influence when 1T arises IT
conjunction with the sun, for it is the
BRIGHTEST star in the heavens and It's
| great heat added TO the heat OF the sun
| increases and intensifies the tenpera
ture as long as this conjunction con
tinues. But this rising With the sun
Is not . fixed day. It varies from the
Bird of July to the 10th OF August and
hence the almanac makers take an
average day and set down July 2oth IS
the first dog day, Some date 1t July
I24th, but these dates may miss 1t two
or three weeks. It is generally belley-
ed that these dog days continue for
fortv DAYS, bnt in fact that Is an lndef
Unite period, for the conjunction OF
Sirius with the sun sometimes lasts for
fifty-four days. The sum OF the whole
matter Is that about this time OF the
year we may look ter very hot wealth
er and showers almost every day; and
to call it fodder pulling weather would
be as good name as any. Whether
Sirius has anything to do with 1t or
: not we can only surmise, but Sirius Is
the dog star and gave the name. Sirius
is the very brightest star IN the heaV-
lens. and is in the mouth OF big dog
la constellation that the ancient as
tronorners named CAMS major. The
ancient Egyptians mapped Off the
$ starry heayens with Imaginary animals
D and men, such as dogs, bears, dragons
+ bulls, Hercules, Orson, ETC., and the
names they gave to groups OF stars
have never been changed. There Is a
y big dog and little dog, big bear and
y a little bear, big dlpper and little
ld,pper. Right in the tip OF the tall OF
the little bear is very notable sta'
Icalled the Pole star or North star, that
nav,gators used to sail by and shey call
II ed Cynosluros, which in Greek means
Is dogtaiI From this name we ha's
4 the word eynosure and SO when We "a.
;. of beautiful woman in an assembit
that she was the cynosure OF all eyes i
is equivalent to saying that she Wa
, the dog tail Of the concern. ust 40"
II the sailors got to calling this star 'h'
e doo-tai] IA not known, for it is really ur
r Ga minor, the little bears tail HI
anc,ents gave many names 10 III
stars to fit the things IN nature ina
they rasem oled. The "oro cohie
con,as from, cometus, which means
u ,are,s tail. The word lunatic come
- from lima the moon, for the ancient
r.tn nI h
- believed that the mind was a1ec'eo Q
a cronges in the moon. Those Oh
= gpyntians were very imaginative ah
u - superstltious but they have Learned
ut brswz. t, eod's favor,se people, we do nc
,-,w Their astronomy, mathematit
- and architecture haye never been III
~ proved. The scriptures tell US thi
y Noses was learned in all the wisdom
'e .. the Egyptians. Job asks ACanst tho
~ hind the sweet influences OF Plelades
- loose the bands OF Orion?' Amos cal
no thon the seven stars and mytho!oe
names them the seven sisters, but mo-
~ orn astronomers say there never we
~ but SIX and there are only SIX no
" Hence the superstition about the 10
Pleiad. Their ''sweet influences"
'io a;d tn come from the fact that Whe
10, over seen in the heavens it Is sign
'Al GOOD weather and safe time Tor ve
~ sells to sail, for pleiad means sail.
- is like the pretty halcyon that iiteral
means duck-egg-time, Tor the eio
Nv duck never builds its nest On the Gil
aln bv the sea until pleasant wealth
:, comes to stay for the season. Hen
oo the word ais the sea and con an egg
- Rut I reckon this is enough apo
NOS dog DAYS. 1t is a relief In these tr
80 Mod times to have something to W.T.
80 about besides the philippines and v
80 s.andals and mobs up north and lynt
or ,ngs down south and Kentucky pe
You assume no risk when you
cbamberlain's Collie, Cholera
n