The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-04
LONG WAR; HARD COLD
 WINTER-PRED THE HAILoWE'EN PROPHETS

| 4 2 f,fa 4
 From time immernoriaI, since the Druids lighted their sacred bonfires I to scare away inc witches, spooks and gobIins, the Halloween festival and its pagan predecessor has been con- l sidered the unes of times for peering and prying into the future Man kind has ever sought to read the se- cret of the what-is-to-be and in all lands and at all periods the prophet 1 has not been without honor save in his own bailiwick. Those of our read CTS who want to know what the com ing months will bring forth will do well to wait in patience and read about it in their favorite newspaper For the benef1t Of impatient persons however, the stan prophet has col lected from the most reliable sources -Which are not at all reHab1e-a fund of transformation which is here by set forth as the inside dope on, the future
 In regard to the war, there are wide variety of prophecies to- choose from but a large majority of the pro- fessionaI and amateur peerers into the, future seem to agree that the conflict will be a long one, Mime. Thebee, and other French seers, are superb1y condent that the arms of the allies will be blessed with victory, and there is the same unanimity among German prophates that the fatherland will conquer ali its enemies and fly it's victorious flag over half the capitals of Europe. The partisanship engen-I dered by the European conflict appar- ently extends to the spirit world. for spooks who express themselves through Teutonic mediums invariably foresee victory for the Kaiser, while the Anglican, French and Russian spirits can see nothing to it's but the utter downfall of Germany, Up to within a short time ago the American
 
 about the war. being too much inter ested in the worlds series between the Braves and the Athletics, but now. they may be expected to take sides
 When 1t comes to the weather. how ever, we do not have to depend upon spirits who arc unreliable at best, for every community has it's prophet who can foretell impending meteorological. events by unfatling signs They do not offer much by way of consolation, however, for most of the signs seem to point to a long. cold hard winter, with lots of snow and ice.
 John Drake, the goosebone weather prophet of Muhlenberg, Pa.. is one of those who predict 8 cold season not far ahead The coming Chri stnnass will be a white one. according to the. goesebone seer "I am positive that the holiday season this year will not be green, he declares. and this ought to settle it. t1t s-4AeI5 are 4OLn0Ea S1gAS *Wh1Cha bear out Drakess assertions. Hickory nuts have extra thick huslxs, accord ing to reports from many localities, and this being so, a hard winter iss practically assured. Also the tips of the leaves of the hickory tree point upward, and this about cfnches it that you will need an extra supply of fuel, this winter. for everybo ody knows that when the tips turn upward it is an in dicatfon of cold weather The chest nut crop is plentiful, which is another sign of cold weather. nature making that provision for the food supply of the squirrels.
 The angler is able to judge of win ter prospects by the action of fish worms- When they blrrow deep in- to the earth the season is likely to be very cold. When the winter is to be mild they remain near the surface Various birds and animals as we'll as worms, are credited with having a It. tie inside information on the weather If after the first snowfall you should notice bear tracks in the snow, don't call up the nearest zoo, but just con- sider it an indication that the winter is to be pleasant one If you don't see any bear tracks, after a careful search, take it for granted that you are going to need a fur overcoat pret- ty quick. By watching a woodpecker at work too, you may be able to Judge