The Republican journal., 1903-07-09
THE SIGNS OF THE WEATHER.

In these days OF unsettled weather,
people will read with interest what
John Burroughs has to say OF the pur-
pose of the weather. We give the
following extract from GA Year III
the Fields"
Each day foretells the next, if one
could read the signs; today is the pre-
genitor of tomorrow. When the atmos-
phere is telescope, and distant objects
stand out unusually clear and sharp,
storm is near We are on the crest of
the wave, and the depression follows
quickly. 1t often happens that clouds
are not so indicative of a storm as the
total absence of clouds. In this state of
the atmosphere the stars are unusually
numerous and bright at night, which
| is also bad omen.
| find this observation confirmed by
Humboldt. '1t appears he says 'that
the transparency of the air is pro
digiously increased when certain
quantity of water is uniformly diffused
through it, Again, he says that the
mountaineers Of the Alps ''predict d
change of weather when, the air being
calm, the Alps covered with perpetual
snow seem on sudden to be nearer the
observer, and their outlines are mark
ed with great distinctness on the azure
sky" He further observes that the
same condition of the atmosphere
renders distant sounds more audible.
There is one redness in the east in the
morning that means storm, another that
means wind. The former is broad, deep
and angry; the clouds look like huge
bed of burning Goals just raked open:
the latter is softer, more vapory, and
more widely extended. Just at the
point where the sun is going to rise,
and some minutes in advance of his
coming, there sometimes rises straight
upward rosy column; it is like shaft
of deeply dyed vapor, blending with and
vet partly separated from the clouds,
and the base of which presently comes
to glow like the sun itself. The day
that follows is pretty certain to be very
windy. AT other times the under sides
of the eastern clouds are all turned to
pink or rose-colored wool; the transfor-
nation extends until nearly the whole
sky flushes, even the west glowing
slightly: the sign is always to be inter
preted as meaning fair weather.
The approach of great storms is sell
dom heralded by any striking or un-
usual phenomenon. The real weather
gods are free from brag and buster;
but the sham gods fill the sky with por-
tentOuS signs and omens.
To what extent the birds or animals
can foretell the weather is uncertain.
When the swallows are seen hawking
very high it is good indication; the
insects upon which they feed venture
up there only in the most auspicious
weather. Yet bees will continue to leave
the hive when a storm is imminent. l
am told that one of the most reliable
weather signs they have down in Texas
is afforded by the ants. The ants bring
retreats, and expose them to the warmth
of the sun to be hatched. When they
are seen carrying them in great haste,
though there be not cloud in the sky,
your drive must be postponed; a storm
is at hand.
The critical moments of the day as
regards the weather are at sunrise and
sunset. A clear sunset IS always
sign an Obscured sun, just at the mo-
ment of going down after a bright day.
bodies storm. There is much truth, too,
in the saying that if it rains before sew
en- it will clear before eleven. Nine
times to ten it will turn out thus.
If you are going on a picnic, or are
going to start on journey, and the
morning is unsettled, wait till ten and
One-half o'clock, and you shall know
what the remainder of the day will be-
Midday clouds and afternoon clouds,
except in the season of thunderstorms,
are usually harmless idlers and vaga-
bonds. But more to be relied on than
any obvious sign is that subtle percep
tion of the condition of the weather
which a man has who spends much of
his time in the open air. He can hard
ly tell how he knows it is going to rain;
he hits the fact as an Indian does the
mark with his arrow, without calculat-
ing and by kind of sure instinct. AS
you read mans purpose in his face,
so you learn to read the purpose of the
weather in the face of the day.
just About Bedtime
take a Little Early Riser-it will cure con-
stipatiOn, biliousness and liver troubles.
DeWitt's Little Early Risefs are different
from other pills. They do not grippe and
break down the mucous membranes of the
stomach, liver and bowels, but cure by
gently arousing the secretions and giving
strength to these organs. Sold by r. II.
Moody.
The Fulton (Mo.) News says: "six bits Of
paper were recently picked up in Justices
court room in Fulton just after the Justices
Jury had made up verdict, and they read
sGuilty.' mot gullety,' 'gullerty,' guilty.