Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-02-01
HOG ON THE WEATHER.
Little Animal to Come Forth From
His Burrow To.
morrow.
WILL THE SUN CHASE HIM BACK2
If Sky is cIouded the Old Adage
Promises Early Arrival
of Spring.

Tomorrow will be ground hog day
and those who like sausage will be in
their element. In addition to the
fact that people may eat pork on that
day as we'll as any other, if they
choose. the old time tradition has it
that the diminutive beast known as
the ground hog is wont to come forth
from his winters Information and
take look at the weather conditions.
If he sees his shadow, he retires to
the burrow in despair, fearful that
winter is not yet over. If the sky is
overcast, he is given to understand
that winter is at an end and he can
caper forth JoyousIy and exc out sub
sistence on the roots and delicacies
that are obtainable at the spring sea-
son. The ground hog superstition be-
comes weaker each year and doubtless
in few laps into the new century
the man that takes any stock in the
theory will be gazed upon with sus-
picion.
Seriously, ground hog day is a day
like the Fourth of July, which is ex-
clusively American without even a
New York City accent to it. just
what gave origin to the delusion (the
word F.delusion" is used with apollo
gies to the woodchuck) of ground hog
day has never yet been authenticated.
1t is doubtless of southern conception
and northern confirmation. An al
manac is not a more reliable weather
indicator to many more than the
ground hog Feb. 3 To their minds
death is no more a certainty than that
six weeks of winter weather will fol-
low if Mr.. Ground Hog gets glimpse
of his shadow on this day and returns
to his hole. If he does not, spring
bursts forth like a new blown rose.
Day has Another Significance.
But the day has another signif-
canoe which obtains over all civilized
lands, and especially in countries
where the majority of the people are
Catholics or in which the Catholic
form of religion has ever had foot
hold. 1t is Candlemas or Roman
Catholic festival of the publication of
the Virgin Mary and is so called be-
cause the tapers and candles used in
the church throughout the year were
COHS0CTaIeU Oh InlS Qdy. iHc 1cSIl-
val is of great antiquity and can be
traced as far back as the time of Pope
Sergius. GA A. D.. when he COM
manded that on Feb 2 call people
should go out in procession carrying
candles with them burning in their
hands," Bacon, in his ''Reliques of
Rome" says: Some say that when
the Romano by great might and royal
power conquered all the world, they
were so proud that they forgot God.
They had a god made unto :hem-
selves which they called Mars, who
had been before a noble knight in
battayle; SO they prayed to him for
help of this knight, they did wild
worship to his mother that was
called Februa, after which woman
people have the opinion that the
month of February is called; where
fore the second day of this month is
called CaIdlemas day"
Pope Segius, in order to get his
people to give up their unholy wor-
ship of Februa and her son Mars,
commanded that each of them burn a
candle to ''Oure Lady (Mary) and her
some Jesus" on that day. That edict
was, perhaps, the origin of Candlemas
daV