Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-11-10
MILD WINTER SIGNS.



eome Of Then.
"All the sigma point infailibay 20 the
fAct, !" says country philosopher, "that
We are koing to havs mild winter.
What are the eignsS They nxs many. You
have al heard Of 'em, dounelsoes but
beard Of EN- Only. Yoa haven't observed
EN-. You haven't watched EN-. ! nave.
Consequently 70 NJ they ars not hssrsay
svidsncs. Thsy ars prtsss fseSs. thy
ars facts. I know 'em.
:. 'CuEu husks'axU o. Of 'sms q couxss.
The texture OF coen husko, xashee. And
II 70 thin this yees. Amazing Tin. Only
. layer Or two and sech lAyss = thin q
wrapping mpsr. A nsver-Satlin8 sign OF
mild wintef. Never milling. Thsn thsrs's
the gfoundhog, and the wind when the
sun crossed the line, and ~ coons, and
the woodpscksvs, and ths-oh, The lots OF
thingsi
"Tske the groundhog. That Y. take
the grounding and his nest. II u wasn't
Tor the grounding In connection Win MS
nest the grounding woaidn't Do any more
sign OF mild winter than two-year-
- - 49, 49, 8-O~->~-~-0
nest. why, my old dog King hoded
srounonog only yesterday. Csugnt MIN
out IN the meadow eat'ng clover. On the
eve OF november, mino you, ana csugnt
the groundhog out IN the meadow eating
cioverI
Onl You think the long speu Of
pleasant iaiI weather might account ior
tnat, emf Prooi' might, II You oion,t
take the grounding IN connection with
mis- nest. But seel dug that &rounonog
cut OF mis- mole. Hole was shallow, ana
tnere wasn't % ruch AZ ieai IN y. Not
even atwiB' why, tnere WASN'T inc SYN
Of nest' "nat Goes HRniiy' org
niyt II signines tnat tne efounonog
naon,t n1ed up MS mouse ior Z nara WIN
Ter. Inats "nat! why naont net be-
cause Nc Anew 'nere WASN'T soAns " 10
suy nslo Winter. nats "nas y Nsni-
mes. Inats AL. fienty Q! time IoF MN
10 90 tnst yet, you tnink, ens Sures
SHOWS, though, tnat you oon't know even
little Dit about the grounding ana his
nest' why, Ut was going 70 % naro
winter that groundhog would nave mad
DIS nest hned good ana warm a. long ago
Is september. ne wouldnt % pranclng
around IN the meadow, cnawing clover IN
November without even leaf IN his nest!
NOT that groundhog, or any other ground
nog. why, sayl The groundhog, taken
IN connection with MS nest, ID such
chncninR sign tnat there really needn't
% any use OF gong Dy any other one II
you are looking Quit know what sort OF
winter were going 10 nave. Inc
grounding ana MS nest sre c:inchers
enough.
"but tnere are more. One OF 'em is
when the sun crosses the line on the 21st
OF september, ana the way the wind is
blowing az the time 1t does 1t. How was
II last september wind was blowing
out OF the southeast. That's almost as good
clincher as ground hogs and their nests.
II the wind had come from the north or
the northeast, you can bet what money you
happen to have about you that the
grounding would have had his hole
stuned full OF warm things, and that the
corn husks would have had more than two
or three layers ana tney wouldn't have
been as thin as wrapping paper, either.
Yes, yes! Wlno from the southeast when
the sun crosses the line in September is .
sure sign OF mild winter. Indeed? I
should say so!
"Then take coons. Take coons and
their conduct toward the farmers corn.
They didn't gnaw the corn much this fall.
Hardly any. And as for woodpeckers. I
haven't heard single woodpecker drill
ing holes in tree. Why, that would
make me know we were going to have .
mild winter even II hadn't seen the other
signs. Yes.
It's great saving to the farmers corn
crop when we're going to have mild
winter, for II it's going to be hard win
ter the coon knows he has got to have
something substantial to stay by him till
spring comes, SO he loads himself up with
the farmers corn before he holes up; but