136 TO-DAY, HE HAS DELUSIVE DREAMS OF HEAVEN They seem to take one's part--but when Mixed with their poisonous measure. I would not tell another;" Wife, husband, friend, and brother. That every one might know them: With things so much below them. We ought to love and cherish. 894. Signs of the Weather. 895. DEW. If the dew lies plentifully on the grass after a fair day, it is a sign of another fair day. If not, and there is no wind, rain must follow. A red evening portends fine weather; but if it spread too far upwards from the horizon in the evening, and especially morning, it foretells wind or rain, or both. When the sky, in rainy weather, is tinged with sea green, the rain will increase; if with deep blue, it will be showery. 896. CLOUDS.-Previous to much rain falling, the clouds grow bigger, and increase very fast, especially before thunder. When the clouds are formed like fleeces, but dense in the middle and bright towards the edges, with the sky bright, they are signs of a frost, with hail, snow, or rain. If clouds form high in air, in thin white trains like locks of wool, they portend wind, and probably rain. When a general cloudiness covers the y, and small black fragments of clouds fly underneath, they are a sure sign of rain, and probably it will be lasting. Two currents of clouds always portend rain, and, in summer, thunder. 897. HEAVENLY BODIES.-A haziness in the air, which fades the sun's light, and makes the orb appear whitish, or ill-defined1-or at night, if the moon and stars grow dim, and a ring encircles the former, rain will follow. If the sun's rays appear like Moses' horns-if white at setting, or shorn of his rays, or if he goes down into a bank of clouds in the horizon, bad weather is to be expected. If the moon looks pale and dim, we expect rain; if red, wind; and if of her natural colour, with a clear sky, fair weather. If the moon is rainy throughout, it will clear at the change, and, perhaps, the rain return a few days after. If fair throughout, and rain at the change, the fair weather will probably return on the fourth or fifth day. 898. Weather Precautions.If the weather appears doubtful, always take the precaution of having an umbrella when you go out, particularly in going to church; you thereby avoid incurring one of three disagreeables; in the first place, the chance of getting wet-or encroaching under a friend's umbrella-or being under the necessity of borrowing one, consequently involving the trouble of returning it, and possibly (as is the case nine times out of ten) inconveniencing your friend by neglecting to do so. Those who disdain the use of umbrellas generally appear with shabby hats, tumbled bonnet ribbons, wrinkled silk dresses, &c., &c., the consequence of frequent exposure to unexpected showers, to say nothing of colds taken, no one can tell how. 899. Leech Barometer.-Take an eight-ounce phial, and put in it three gills of water, and place in it a healthy leech, changing the water in summer once a week, and in winter once in a fortnight, and it will most accurately prognosticate the weather. If the weather is to be fine, the leech lies motionless at the bottom of the glass, TO-MORROW, CRIES TOO LATE TO BE FORGIVEN. and coiled together in a spiral form; if rain may be expected, it will creep up to the top of its lodgings, and remain there till the weather is settled; if we are to have wind, it will move through its habitation with amazing swiftness, and seldom goes to rest till it begins to blow hard; if a remarkable storm of thunder and rain is to succeed, it will lodge for some days before almost continually out of the water, and discover great uneasiness in violent throes and convulsive-like motions; in frost as in clear summer-like weather it lies constantly at the bottom; and in snow as in rainy weather it pitches its dwelling in the very mouth of the phial. The top should be covered over with a piece of muslin. 900. The Chemical Barometer. -Take a long narrow bottle, such as an old-fashioned Eau-de-Cologne bottle, and put into it two and a half drachms of camphor, and eleven drachms of spirit of wine; when the camphor is dissolved, which it will readily do by slight agitation, add the following mixture:-Take water, nine drachms; nitrate of potash (saltpetre), thirty-eight grains; and muriate of ammonia (sal ammoniac), thirty-eight grains. Dissolve these salts in the water prior to mixing with the camphorated spirit; then shake the whole well together. Cork the bottle well, and wax the top, but afterwards make a very small aperture in the cork with a red-hot needle. The bottle may then be hung up, or placed in any stationary position. By observing the different appearances which the materials assume, as the weather changes, it becomes an excellent prognosticator of a coming storm or of a sunny sky. 901. Significations of Names. Aaron, Hebrew, a mountain. Abel, Hebrew, vanity. Abraham, Hebrew, the father of many. Adolphus, Saxon, happiness and help. Alexander, Greek, a helper of men. Ambrose, Greek, immortal, Amos, Hebrew, a burden. Augustus, Augustin, 137 } Latin, venerable, grand. Baldwin, German, a bold winner. Bardulph, German, a famous helper. Barnaby, Hebrew, a prophet's son. Bartholomew, Hebrew, the son of him whe made the waters to rise. Bernard, German, bear's heart. . Eugene, Greek, nobly descended. Eustace, Greek, standing firm. Ezekiel, Hebrew, the strength of God. Felix, Latin, happy. Ferdinand, German, pure peace. Francis, German, free. Frederic, German, rich peace. Gabriel, Hebrew, the strength of God. Geoffrey, German, joyful. F 138 TO-DAY, HE LIVES IN HOPES AS LIGHT AS AIR; George, Greek, a husbandman. Godard, German, a godly disposition. Hercules, Greek, the glory of Hera, or Juno. Humphrey, German, domestic peace. Jacob, Hebrew, a supplanter. Job, Hebrew, sorrowing. Joel, Hebrew, acquiescing. John, Hebrew, the grace of the Lord. Jonathan, Hebrew, the gift of the Lord. Joseph, Hebrew, addition. Josias, Hebrew, the fire of the Lord. Laurence, Latin, crowned with laurels. Leopold, German, defending the people. Lewis, French, the defender of the people. Llewellin, British, like a lion. Lucius, Latin, shining. Luke, Greek, a wood or grove Mark, Latin, a hammer. Martin, Latin, martial. Matthew, Hebrew, a gift or present. Nicolas, Greek, victorious over the people. Orlando, Italian, counsel for the land. Owen, British, well descended. Percival, French, a place in France. Robert, German, famous in counsel. Rowland, German, counsel for the land, Solomon, Hebrew, peaceable. Samson, Hebrew, a little son. Samuel, Hebrew, heard by God. Sebastian, Greek, to be reverenced. Simon, Hebrew, obedient. Stephen, Greek, a crown or garland. Timothy, Greek, a fearer of God. Toby, or Tobias, Hebrew, the goodness of the Lord. Valentine, Latin, powerful. Vincent, Latin, conquering. Vivian, Latin, living. Alice, Alicia, German, noble. Amy, Amelia, French, a beloved. Martha, Hebrew, bitterness. Mary, Hebrew, bitter. Maud, Matilda, Greek, a lady of honour. Mercy, English, compassion. Mildred, Saxon, speaking mild. Caroline, feminine of Carolus, the Latin of Phoebe, Greek, the light of life. Charles, noble-spirited. Chloe, Greek, a green herb. Christiana, Greek, belonging to Christ. Cecilia, Latin, from Cecil. Cicely, a corruption of Cecilia. Clara, Latin, clear or bright. Diana, Greek, Jupiter's daughter. Eliza, Elizabeth, Hebrew, the oath of God. Emily, corrupted from Amelia. Emma, German, a nurse. Esther, Hesther, Hebrew, secret. Eve, Hebrew, causing life. Eunice, Greek, fair victory. Eudoia, Greek, prospering in the way. Grace, Latin, favour. Hagar, Hebrew, a stranger. Judith, Hebrew, praising. Julia, Juliana, feminine of Julius. Lucretia, Latin, a chaste Roman lady. Phyllis, Greek, a green bough. Rebecca, Hebrew, fat or plump. Rhode, Greek, a rose. Rosamund, Saxon, rose of peace. Rosa, Latin, a rose. Rosabella, Italian, a fair rose. Sabina, Latin, sprung from the Sabines. Sapphira, Greek, like a sapphire stone. Sarah, Hebrew, a princess. Sibylla, Greek, the counsel of God. Sophronia, Greek, of a sound mind. Susan, Susanna, Hebrew, a lily. Temperance, Latin, moderation. Zenobia, Greek, the life of Jupiter. 902. Hints on the Barometer. 903. Why does a Barometer indicate the Pressure of the Atmosphere? Because it consists of a tube containing quicksilver, closed at one end, 140 LITTLE DEEDS ARE LIKE LITTLE SEEDS and open at the other, so that the air, becoming dense, and free from pressure of air upon the open end balances the weight of the column of mercury (quicksilver); and when the pressure of the air upon the open surface of the mercury increases or decreases, the mercury rises or falls in response thereto. 904. Why is a Barometer called also a "Weather Glass"? Because changes in the weather are generally preceded by alterations in the atmospheric pressure. But we cannot perceive those changes as they gradually occur; the alteration in the height of the column of mercury, therefore, enables us to know that atmospheric changes are taking place, and by observation we are enabled to determine certain rules by which the state of the weather may be foretold with considerable probability. 905. Why does the Hand of the Weather Dial change its Position when the Column of Mercury rises or falls? Because a weight which floats upon the open surface of the mercury is attached to a string, having a nearly equal weight at the other extremity; the string is laid over a revolving pivot, to which the hand is fixed, and the friction of the string turns the hand as the mercury rises or falls. 906. Why does Tapping the Face of the Barometer sometimes cause the Hand to Move? Because the weight on the surface of the mercury frequently leans against the side of the tube, and does not move freely. And, also, the mercury clings to the sides of the tube by capillary attraction; therefore, tapping on the face of the barometer sets the weight free, and overcomes the attraction which impedes the rise or fall of the mercury. 907. Why does the Fall of the Barometer denote the Approach of Rain? Because it shows that as the air cannot support the full weight of the column of mercury, the atmosphere must be thin with watery vapours. 908. Why does the Rise of the Barometer denote the Approach of Fine Weather? Because the external highly elastic vapours, presses with increased force upon the mercury upon which the weight floats; that weight, therefore, sinks in the short tube as the mercury rises in the long one, and in sinking, turns the hand to Change, Fair, &c. 909. When does the Barometer stand highest? When there is a duration of frost, or when north-easterly winds prevail. 910. Why does the Barometer stand highest at these Times? Because the atmosphere is exceedingly dry and dense, and fully balances the weight of the column of mercury. 911. When does the Barometer stand lowest? When a thaw follows a long frost, or when south-west winds prevail. 912. Why does the Barometer stand lowest at these Times? Because much moisture exists in the air, by which it is rendered less dense and heavy.* 913. Cheap Fuel.-One bushel of small coal or sawdust, or both mixed together, two bushels of sand, one bushel and a half of clay. Let these be mixed together with common water, like ordinary mortar; the more they are stirred and mixed together the better; then make them into balls, or with a small mould make them in the shape of bricks, pile them in a dry place, and when they are hard and sufficiently dry, they may be used. A fire cannot be lighted with them, but when the fire is quite lighted, put them on behind with a coal or two in front, and they will be found to keep up a stronger fire than any fuel of the com mon kind. 914. Economy of Fuel.-There is no part of domestic economy which everybody professes to understand better than the management of a fire, and yet there is no branch in the household arrangement where there is a greater |