Show HERALDS da OF WEATHER WINGED AND OTHER PROPHETS OF THE RAIN nw how thin things thit that crawl and 1 hetter than the signal hervieu 1 hareak cat to 1116 thefT bariner iner the tile coming storm the weather signal service 1 of tho the united states la Is a great thing that ie is it Is an admirable arrangement for ho dissemination of knowledge concerning what tho the weather ie Is going to be and tho the government with lie ita means of telling what tho the weather will bo be tomorrow to morrow h N wasting time and money when it attempts to giva tho the average former pointers on iho the coming weather tho former farmer thank the signal service for ita its mechanical miscalculations miscalculation a since ho he is abundantly with tore tem barometers and everything cleo else bf ibo the sort and of a kind that never slips a cog or makes a wrong reckoning tho the farmer domont havo have to bother his mind in studa studying ing out what tho the weather is to bo be tho the cats dogs horses goose fishes ants gnats birds snails swallows crown and cattle predict pro it and tell him in their own language whether it will bo be fair or foul those nose unacquainted with tho the conduct of as it presents itself to an observing fanner farmer might doubt tho the reliability of ho the source sour coot of his information but tho the experienced farmer himself never doob dom it if there is not human reason on as tho the foundation of his faith there thero is 1 something much lees loss fallible animal instinct darwin whose whoso opinions in such matters cannot with impunity bo be set as aside ide that the weather can bo be foretold 1 b tho the actions of animals tho the following is his poetic description of the signs of rain the hollow winds begin to lion blou the ito clouds look blacic black the glass is low the coot falls down the spaniels sleep the spiders from their cobwebs creep tb the walls are an damp the ditches smell closed is the bright red pimpernel hark I 1 how the chain chairs and table crock crack I 1 old bettys joints are oa on the rack her corns wilh shooting pains torment her and to her bed untimely send her loud quack the ducks the ser ter fowls cry the distant bills ore are looking nigh now how restless are the snorting swine I 1 the busy met disturb the kine mae low oer the gnu grass the swallow wings the cricket too how sharp be he sings I 1 pass puts on the hearth with velvet awn bits sits wiping oer her whiskered jaws twill surely come we with sorrow no working in the fields tomorrow to morrow any former farmer boy buy who is nt at all observing has noticed how unusually active ante ta aro are just before a storm they rush hither and thithom and seemingly have more to do then mall carriere carriers do on valentine dentino Vi day every one is on the jump fetching and removing and preparing for the storm which is su suro re to follow such activity go to tho the ant den thou weather clerk and learn how to too foretell an approaching storm chickens pick up pebbles fowls roll rol 1 in the dust and flies files bite viciously vi before a rain the assembling of gna gnats to under the branches of trees is a sure indication of a coming storm the person is very presumptuous who daree dares to say that tho the broo toad does not understand its business just to a dot dol A farmer who cute cuts grass whilo while tho the toad is shouting o rain is willfully wilif ully courting disaster tamos james whitcomb riley treat of this weather maker in A TREAT ODE ions like said the tree toad ivo twittered away all day and I 1 got up soon and hollered till tm noon bat but the sun hit blazed away I 1 aih I 1 jest dumb clumb down in a crawfish crawf leh bole weary at heart and sick nick at soul I 1 the ne singing of hens presage pre sago a coning gale or high wind this is a sign that every farmer will swear by when hogs run playfully about carrying straw or sticks in their mouths a wind is sure to follow this trait of swine gives riso rise to tho the proverbs pi can soo see the wind and the swine shall shau run and play twill storm before another day i geese flying against tho the wind tho the appearing of worms and snails toads coming out of their holes in unusual numbers in the evenings peacocks equalling squalling at night mico mice squeaking and ereneo washing aro are all signs of rain when tho the rain has begun falling its probable duration is indicated by tho the conduct of tho the chickens if they run rua for shelter the shower will bo be brief but it if they stay out in tho the rain it indicates that there will bo be failing falling weather for some time too long at least for the fowls to attempt to keep their feathers dry beetles flying fl ing in the eveni evening ag assures a fino fine morrow as d does also the floine of bats farmer furmer boye boys know that when fishes swim low and will not bite on tho the morrow they will have to work in tho the field fiell this ie fa a sure sign of fair weather the rho snowbirds fo feathers athers appear dark when a thaw is approaching and light when snow is coming hogs prepare a warm bed tho the day preceding tho the coming of a cold wave wimm with all of these aids for accurately forc foretelling 41 the weather what nood need the farmer caro for the signal service serice mens metes improbable guesses whilo while instinct tells tho the birds of the air the beasts of tho the field geld and the fishes of the sea what the weather is to bo be like man ith all of his boasted intelligence has not raised the science of foretelling tho the weather above tho the plata of peculation speculation the wind floweth where it lla and thou tho sound thereof but not tell it anil 1 whether it gooth 11 |