A SHARP LOOKOUT 



going to rise, and some minutes in advance 

 of his coming, there sometimes rises straight 

 upward a rosy column ; it is like a shaft of 

 deeply dyed vapor, blending with and yet 

 partly separated from the clouds, and the 

 base of which presently comes to glow like 

 the sun itself. The day that follows is 

 pretty certain to be very windy. At other 

 times the under sides of the eastern clouds 

 are all turned to pink or rose-colored wool ; 

 the transformation extends until nearly the 

 whole sky flushes, even the west glowing 

 slightly ; the sign is always to be interpreted 

 as meaning fair weather. 



The approach of great storms is seldom 

 heralded by any striking or unusual phenom- 

 enon. The real weather gods are free from 

 brag and bluster ; but the sham gods fill the 

 sky with portentous signs and omens. I 

 recall one 5th of March as a day that would 

 have filled the ancient observers with dread- 

 ful forebodings. At ten o'clock the sun 

 was attended by four extraordinary sun-dogs. 

 A large bright halo encompassed him, on 

 the top of which the segment of a larger 

 circle rested, forming a sort of heavy bril- 

 liant crown. At the bottom of the circle, 

 and depending from it, was a mass of soft, 

 ^^5 



