Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-11-22
MANY BASED ON oBsER-
WALTON ARE RELIABLE.
NOT ALL ABSURDITIES
Familiar Verses Dealing with Meteo-
rological Subjects often Correct
Some Notable ExampIes-Many
Conditions of Life Depend on Bar
ometric Variations,

man, anu inueeQ all those whose con-
ditions of life force them to rely upon
the soil for the emans of subsistence.
are so dependent upon the changes
of temperature and the alterations
OF foul and fair, wet AID dry, that IT
is not surprising that questions re-
Sarding the weather should from time
immemorial have been made a sub.
Ject for particular attention. Long,
therefore, before there was any me-
neurological bureau to enligbten the
world with its scientific predictions,
people had begun to study the face of
lie sky, the shifting of the wind, and
the changes of the moon, and to pro.
verbs for the guidance of themselves
and those who should follow in their
steps.
These opinions, as usual, found ex-
preston in verse. For instance, there
was an old Latin stanza which was
very popular, and of which the fol-
lowing lines forms one of several
English versions:
IF st. Paul's Day be fair and clear
1t doth betide a happy year;
If clustering winds do blow aloft,
Then wars will trouble our realms full
oft;
And If 1t CHANGED to snow or rain.
Then will be dear all sorts of grain!"
Even more important for the wealth
er-wise OF the past was the 18th of
July, day which, as the feast of St.
Swithin, is even today by no means
shorn of all its former reputation. In
England at all events, it is not I'M
usual to hear people of some pretense
to education frequently in joke, per-
haps, but sometimes partly in earn
est, remark that as st. Swithin's day
is wet or dry Gas the case may be) :,
so for 40 days thereafter there would
| be continuance of the same kind of
weather. Thus the old rhyme ran:
"St. Swithin's Day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain;
st. Swithin's Day, if thou be fair,
For forty days twill rain no more"
The commonly accepted explanation
of this ancient and widespread super.
stltion is too curious to be omitted,
though its value. even as tradition,
has been authoritatively impugned
st. Swithin was a bishop of Wincnes-
ter, who, after his death in S6A was
canonized by the pope. 1t is said that
he had expressed o wish to be buried
in the open churchyard, and not, as
was usual in the case of bishops, in
the chancel of the cathedral. Some
time afterwards, however, the monks
of the establishment were seized with
of fit of pious indignation at the
thught that so great and good man
should sleep his last sleep in so hum
Bile, and, for saint, so unseemly a
spot; and Needless of his well remem-
bered desire they determined to con
Wy the body in great state into the
cathedral and renter it there. But
just as they were on the point Of
their operations a heavy rain burst
forth, which continued without inter
mission for 40 succeeding days. The
| monks ever ready to regard any de-
| parture from the ordinary course IF
| interpreted the tempest as a special
warning from heaven, and relinquish-
ed their neutrality-suspicious. 1t Is
said st. Swithinis day derived It's
| prophetic character in relation to the
conditioner the weather for the en-
suing six weeks.
But when our forefathers We're con-
tent to limit themselves to less ex-
tensive field of prophetic vision
when, instead of undertaking to set.
tie the weather for weeks or months
sfore-hand. they simply attempted
to provide against the changes i'm.
mediately approaching, they were a
great deal more successful. Many OF
the wise saws upon which they plac.
ed such implicit reliance are not 70
be laughtd at or thrown aside with
scorn. based though they were, not
upon scientific observation and exper
fence. Everybody, | suppose, is IA
miliar with the curt little verse which
| runs.
"A rainbow in the morning
Is the shepherds uarning;
A rainbow at night
Is the shepherds delight"
But not everybody who repeats it is
aware that a statement which 1t con
tains is capable of scientific yerifica
ton. So, too. with such common
adages as
IF rec the sun begins his rece,
Be sure the rain will fall apane."
And
Evening red and morning gray
Set the traveller on ais way:
Evening gray and morning red
Bring down rain upon his head"
Are something more than old wives
fables for they embody at least q
| rough arnrNr{rn afiro IN aS+ahIi rh