The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-02-23
Alamo sxne.n

Lang syne."
Someone Of verse-atile genius has
said, Mans fool When it's hot
he wants 1t cool; when it's cool he
wants it hot; Ne'er contented with
his lot; consider as a rule, mans
fool"
However this may be, we find our
selves continually expressing disap-
pointment when the weather fails to
adapt itself to prevailing signs. or
seems actually to accommodate IT,
self to certain representations Quite
recently caterpillars, butterflies and
other insects, wild geese, and the un-
questioned cat watching a mouse,
have been seen-all alleged signs Of
an early spring. While the late
deep snow is credited to the numer-
GUS hocks of snow birds and the ex-
tremely long icicles If the renown-
ed grounding is in any way RESPONSE
BILE may he be attended by his shad-
ow next year! Here is the predic-
tion for the year after Christmas
comes on Sunday, as found in an old
rhyme
IF that Christmas fall
Upon Sunday, know well all,
That winter season shall be easy,
Save great winds aloft shall fly;
The summer after also be dry.
And right reasonable, say;
Beasts and sheep shall thrive right
well,
But other victuals shall fail;
What child that day is born,
Great and rich shall be Of corn
But despite signs and symbols, we
may be assured Of a great diversity
Of weather at all times, and from the
following information we may con-
clude that variety has never been a
novelty in this country. A remark
able record of the year 1916 as found
in the pages of an old diary, written
continuously from 1910 to 1910, by
persons then living in Northern New
York, contained the ensuing concern
ing the year 1916, which was known
as the year without summer, and
was the coolest ever experienced
throughout the United States and
Europe:-
January was so mild that most
people allowed their fires to go out.
and did not burn wood except for
cooking. There were a few cool
days, but very few Most of the time
the air was warm and springlike. Feb
ruary was not cold. March was from
the first to the sixth, inclined to be
windy It came in like a small lion
and went out like a very innocent
sheep. April came In warm, but as
the days grew longer the air became
colder, and by the first of May there
was temperature like that OF win
ter, with plenty Of snow and ice. In
May the young buds were frozen dead
Ice formed half an inch thick on
ponds and rivers, corn was killed and
the cornhelds were planted again
and again until II became too late
to raise a crop. BY the last of May
in this climate the trees are usually
in leaf and birds and flowers plenti-
full. When the last of May arrived in
1916, everything had been killed by
the cold.
June was the coolest month of
roses ever experienced in this lati-
tude Almost every green thing was
killed; all fruit was destroyed. Snow
fell ten inches deep in Vermont.
There was seyen-inch fall Of snow
in Maine. three inch fall in the in
terror OF New York state, and the
same In Massachusetts,. There were
only a few moderately warm days.
Everybody looked, longed and waited
for warm weather, but warm weather
did not come. II was also dry: very
little rain fell. All summer long the
wind blew steadily from the north
in blasts laden with snow and ice
Planting and shivering were done to
gether and the farmers who worked
out their taxes on the road, wore
mittens and overcoats.
ION June 18th. there was a heavy
fall OF snow. July came In with
snow and ice. On the Fourth of july
ice as thick as window-glass formed
throughout New England, New Yorl
and in some parts OF the state o.
Pennsylvania, Indian corn, which II
some parts Of the east had struggled
through May and June, gave up, frozI
and died.
ITO the surprise Of everybody, Aug
ust proved the worst month OF all
Almost every green thing in thI,
country and Europe was blasted Will
frost. Snow fell in Barnet, thirty
miles from London, Eng. on Angus
Both. Newspapers received from
England stated that 1916 would b,
remembered by the existing genera
ton as the year in which there wal
no summer. Very little corn ripen
ed In New England. There wal
great priyation, and thousands OF per
sons would have perished in thii
country had II not been for the abun
dance OF FISH and wild game"
In direct contrast with 1916 Is re
corded the year 1928 when Their,
was no winter
r. l.. X.
Dorset, VT, Feb. rs. 1911.