Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-01-07

man, that is very important question,
timely question. 1t has been asked
me q number of times recently. Let
us refer to some Of the signs, Omens
gnd rules and see what we can lind out
about it,"
Fifteen minutes later Mr.. Conner be-
gan to answer the question. Just at
present." he said, 1.-The boosting of coal
prices and the retirement Of hens to
secluslon, as evidenced by the quota
lions of the egg market, are signs that
Usually imply hardships ahead. A very
popular sign denoting the character of
approaching winter is the thickness of
corn huSks. The thicker they are the
more severe will be the winter. Shall
we shatter idols aud say that the thick
ness of corn husks depends absolutely
upon the weather conditions during the
growing season, and not upon condi-
tons liable to follow four or five
months later?
Another cherished sign is that in
early and long winters land naturally
they would be long If they came in
early, the beaver puts up his winter
supply, and prepares his house one
month earlier than in mild, late win
ters. Without wishing to disjoint this
meteorological index of seasons, it may
be said that he certainly does, and
he earlier the winter the earlier lie
goes to work. If winter comes in one
month earlier than usual the beaver
has to cut short his tall vacation and
go to work
1.-THE fur on many animals is taken
seriously by certain people to be an
.nfallible indication of the character
Of the winter months in advance. The
idea is that nature provides for its
otherwise uncared for creatures by
furnishing a heavy crop Of fur as a
protection against the frozen wind.
Part of that is gospel truth. Nature
1oes protect, to certain extent, its
otherwise uncared for creatures, but
so far as the thickness or thinness Of
the fur is concerned, that depends
wholly upon the physical condition Of
the animal. its age, the quality and
quantity of food it has been able to
obtain during the summer and fall, and
is immunity from being hunted down
Or from the tyranny of other animals
Here is an omen that is not quite so
common: 1t is that the hedgehog COM
monty has two holes or openings in
his cave-one toward The north and the
other toward the south. All you have
% do, If you can locate hedgehog's
cave, is to note which opening is
stopped; if the north one is stopped,
expect cold wind and plenty of 1t from
that quarter, and vice versa. But to
!rrellgionlsts and disrespecters of ira
1ition, the idea Is Immediately sug-
gested that the hog has sense enough
to alternately open and close the holes
as the wind shifts from south to north
and north to south.
."Then there is that dear old goose
bone barometer that is almost sacred
by virtue of it's antiquity. Everybody
mas neafd or II, but not everybody NAV
know its philosophy, or the particular
part of its anatomy in -rl.;al, the hone
is located. 1t is this: If the breast
bone of goose is particularly red, or
has many red spots, a cold and stormy
winter is expected, but If only few
spots are visible then the winter will
be mild.
II do not know exactly what causes
the freckles to appear OH the breast
bone of a goose. My opportunities for
observing decollete or nude geese has
been limited. Now, the spots may ap.
pear because there is not enough sand
in it's craw, or it may be that its do
nestle life is not very felicitous. But
the perplexing part of this preseItment
Is that in a flock of geese the breast
bones Of some will be found spotted,
while others will not. So there you
are. Take your choice.
1--WE have even heard that there is
a popularity about the face of the man
In the moon upon the approach of
severe winter, resembling a heavy
growth of whiskers, but the optical de-
Iusions of some people are hard to ac-
count for. Be that as it may, we find
that the moOn though a radiant re-
fector, reflects very little light upon
this subject, for
"The moon and the weather
May change together;
But the change Of the moon
Does not change the weather.
If we'd no moon at all.
And that may seem strange,
We still would have weather
That's subject to change.
"There are very many other signs an
nually revived about this time of the
year, which sound in our ears like the
voices of old friends. The theories re-
ferred to are innocent, harmless tradi-
tons or superstitiOns, but which go to
prove that the weather has been a sub
ject of universal interest, and that in
the stress and struggle of business
competition a fOreknowledge of the
weather has been considered one of
the most important elements contrib
uting to success.
"Alr. Sage, of Des Molnes, Iowa, hui
morously states that coming of winter
will be an open one-that is, open on
rational statement, and contains ele-
ments of encouragement for all, re-
gardless of likes or disllkes, for 1t ad-
mits of lanGuorous tropical zephyrs
as well as old Boreas' blasts and bliZ-
yards. 1t Is already open now to the
assaults Of almanacs, astrologers and
strometeOrOlogists those who con
stantly keep their thumbs on the pulse
of planetary relations. The almanacs
are not so bad but that they might be
worse. they never get their seasons
misplaced. Hot weather is always
found in them during the summer
months, and cold weather Is usually
associated with the winter months.
They usually contain some astronom-
lcal features that are all right, the
data being copied from recognized
publication. They also contain a num-
Der Of jokes, the greatest of all being
their weather forecasts. But they cost
you nothing, and If they are of no lit