The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-14
tst. Lout. Post pispatch)

NSt. LOUIS fOSt- lylSVNtCnD
Tho voice OF the ~gooSebone prophet
Is abroad In the land.
He has rubbed his intelligent finger
over h breast q Of the wild goose
and ia now prophesytng one Of the
y hardest winters that has. ever hcen
known within the memory Of the old
est inhabitant.
He has found a ridge of osscous It's
size on the keel bone Of the wild
certain tones Of wailing winds. deep
SHOWS and ice three feet thick. In
stead Of tho point of Eristle that
should ornament the tip Of the breast
bone he has discovered 81 lump Of
hone that means the wild goose is
looktnE for n hard winter.
The other day n Missouri farmer re-
ported that the brown and dusty quail
were already coming III out Of the
fields and making friends with tho
chickcns in the poultry yard and the
hoSs In the feeding pens. This is TAX
en- to indicate that n cold. snowy and
desolate winter Is gathering up beyond
the Arctic circle and making ready to
sweep the American plains from CAL
gary and Medicine Hat to Tampa and
tho gulf coast. Quail instinct Wits
pers in the little brown birds that
food Ia sotng to he scarce this win
ter In the corntields and woods.
There ts plenty Of food now for the
quails and other wild things in Mtssou-
ri. Their friendlincss cannot mean
that they are hungry now. They are
merely taking time by the forclock and
making sure OF a welcome when the
deep SHOWS and sheets have covered
up the scattered corn and hidden the
hugs and dried berries in the woods.
The corr husk prophet Is busy. too.
He has been out in the fields and OK
amined the thickness OF the corn
shuck. He has found that II is hcav.
ter this season than II has been for
many wears. In the rural regions this
Is looked upon as m tnfallihle indi-
cation of the coming Of n very cold
winter, They assert. these farmers,
that nature Is tryine to prepare the
grain so that the winds and sheets may
not destroy II before the COMING Of
spring.
Ordinarily the corn husks are bare
~ heavy enough to protect tho ear
during the ripenins season. but this
fall they are moro than double the us
Mal Farmers are shaking
their heads and building new shelters
for their stock. feeling sure that these
will be needed before spring comes
again.
Even the apples have a thicker peel
than usual this year. according to the
rural prophets with a reputation of he
Ing weather wise. The red Jonathans
ordinarily thin skinned. are wearing a
thicker coat for their protection this
winter The russell and the Roman
beauty. winter apples of the more
rugged sort. are better protected this
year than usual. Nature. according to
the prophets is trying TO protect the
fruits II grains against the
Of \ harsh winter.
Picknickers who have been out to
prospect the chances Of a good nuttiny
season return with a similar story.
The hickory trees have plenty Of nuts
apparently Of n Greater size Than usual.
When these green nuts are split open
the nuts are found to he Of the US.
ual size hut the hulls are Of eme
dous thickness. Nature has been
busy again trying To protect the life
germ IN the hickory nut from the
stines Of frost and the chills of a
long cold spell.
All the nuts that grow in the north
are showing the same indications. The
soosehone prophet looks upon his as
backing up his claims that this Is to
be a real winter-"one Of them old
fashioned kind when the snow was
three feet deep on the level ground
and the drifts in the roads were so
high and hard YOU could drive right
over the stake and ride fences At the
side Of the highway"
Other prophets are putting their
faith In the coming Of a cold winter