Putnam patriot., 1909-05-07
A rrssi.E WITH raR MOON.

 cent luminary who, from time imme- morial, hsd favored mortals with wea- ter forecasts. These were indicated, first by her position in the sky al the beginning of her monthly transit; se- cond: by the time, day or night, of her successive phases. This system, as formulated by an observing votary, pre- scribed fair weather when any change occurred at or near midnight; foul wea- ther al or near midday changes the intervening hours being apparently left to "natural selection
 With regard to the position of the new moon there was diversity of opin- ion, some maintaining that a horizon tai position, starlight across the sky, indicated dry weather an up-and- down perpendicular, sent showers upon the earth. Others held the contrary theory, that the up-and-down moon showed that all the moisture had al ready descended. The consensus of public opinion favored the horizontal theory.
 sThis new moon, too, with upturned
 horns
 Her mirrered beauty gase.s
 And with this agrees the Indian le- gend of "powder- horn thrown over its horns," and the old English sign as re ported in Adam Bede: And the moon lies like boat there, that's sure sign of fair weather. There's many sign as is false, but that's true.h There are few, too, who can refuse to accept the hopeful augury of horizontal new moon over the right shoulder.
 The successive changes following were noted with equal interest and sat isfaction. More specific indications came to me from an old sailors log book, namely.
 If the moon changes-Between mid night and a. m, In summer, very fine weather. in winter, chilly, clear, If wind southwest 1t may rain.
 Between , and .. m., in summer, uISHk fcSAOic Wc1tHtF, LII WlutCt, r0oWt blizzard, and cold waves.
 Between 1 and 6 q. m., in summer, stormy weather; in winter, rain and gales.
 Between 6 and s a. m, in summer; wind, rain and fog, thunder; in winter, baa storms and fog.
 Between s and 10 .. m., in summer, bad weather, most surely rain; in win. x..s.~ .N la net xnyIsxA Ia west, rain.
 mer, showery; in winter, cold wave, gales. D
 Bet ween noon and D. m, summer, hard rains, floods; in winter, snow, rain, hail.
 disagreeable weather, very changeablc, In winter, fair, mild, some fog.
 Between 4 and p. m., in summer, fine weather (go to seal. in winter, fine weather (go to seal.
 Between and D. m., in summer, fair weather, cool; in winter, fair, cold windy.
 Between and 10 a. m., in summer, If wind Is south or uthwest, rainy; in winter, if south west, rain; if east, then snow.
 Between 10 p. m. and midnight, in summer, fair and hot; in winter, fair and very cold.
 With this aid had no furtder diffi- eulty in forecasting. My storms came and went in perfect accordance with prophecy, and the facile moon beamed approvingly apon her new yotary. In deed, my first recognition as prophet in my own country came in eonjunc- ton with social function which l en- couraged friend to hold during a spell of prolonged log and cloudipess, on the strength of a midnight full moon on the appointed evening, and our faith was rewarded by night of refulgent splendor. As matter of fact, public gatherings in this section are deferred to nights nearing the full moon, not SO much for the convenience of the light as for the greater probability of fair weather--a probability, however, not insuring absolute certainty.
 For, as time went on, affairs were less harmonious. On some very spe- cial occasions my moon hid her face from us. Moreover she refused to work In conjunction with earthly elements, paid no attention to humidity, chang ing winds, cloud-coiors. etc., and ran her department in very autocratic fa- shion. She even allowed her own parti- cular signs to wrangle--horizontals fol- lowing midday and pcrpendicuiars midnight changes, involving the ebser- yer in great pefplexity. For time l laid the blame upon combinations Of opposing forces, bat at length crisis came. Il was daring one Of those ob- stinate spring storms, when neither moon nor stars for many days appear" The moon changes meantime had oe- cured in those intermediate periods when nou-Iutefvention was admissible, but hope pointed fo an approaching midnight fulIuess. Never had a moon 4 better opporiunits 70 establish autho- rity forever. Had sue rose fo the oeca- sion and scattered tsse clouds, the most hardened skeptle would haze given her the credit and even 0ufnf incense in her nosl9r. Ne waited in bfeataless expee- talion. Aud lhe clouds daskeDed and flie rain came siosa in floods, and iiae magic tso0f oi miiaigal passed with- on1 one grain of light from that mEs- leading prophet. What wonder that my faith received shock from which