WEATHER PROPHECIES FROM AN OLD ALMANAC 1. _Chances of the Coming Year._—If the night of January 1 should be fine and calm, without rain or wind, it signifies a good year and abundance of everything. If the wind is in the east, there will be mortality of cattle; if in the west, there will be grave trouble, wars and dissensions among nations; if in the south, there will be some mortality among human beings; if in the north, there is the likelihood of barrenness in all harvests. 2. _The Year’s Chances._—When Christmas Day falls during the moon’s increase, the year will be very good, and the nearer that it is to the new moon the better it will be. But if it falls during the waning moon, there will be a hard year, and the nearer that it is to the decrescence the worse it will be. 3. _Signs of the Sun._—If it be red in the morning, there will be rain in the evening; if it be red in the evening, a fine morning will follow. Fine weather must not be expected when the sun rises with long beams of light shooting over devolving clouds. Should the luminary look small and round like a ball this denotes rain or tempest. Rain and thunder are signified when the sun grows dark and obscure in the daytime. A bad day will follow when it sets enveloped in black cloud. 4. _Signs of Fine Weather._—This is denoted by a slight fog in the east before sunrise; by a white or aureated border about the horizon, and moisture on windows at dawn; by a heavy dew and a serene sun in the early morning; and by clearness, brightness and small, scattered red clouds at sunset. 5. _Lunar Signs._—A blue tinge on the moon portends rain, a red tinge means wind to come, but white coloring signifies fine weather. Fine days are likely to follow a fine Tuesday. If the horns are obscured on the third or fourth day, this indicates rain. If the circle of the moon is red, a bad time may follow; if it does not appear at all on the fourth day of its renewal, the whole period of the moon will be dull and rainy. If it rains on the first Tuesday after the full moon, it will so continue during the rest of the moon’s period, and the reverse in the contrary case. If the moon is clear on rising, there will be fine weather in summer and severe cold in winter; clearness at the full promises a fair time; so also when the halo melts quickly, but a double halo means storm. 6. _Star Signs._—When the stars seem longer than usual, rain is likely; when they are nebulous or obscure, though no clouds are visible, this means rain or snow—according to season. When they are encircled by fog, a cold wind is betokened; when they are clear and sparkling, it means cold in winter and fair weather in summer. 7. _Vintage Prospects._—If the sun is clear and bright on the Feast of Vincent, an old adage says that there will be more wind than water, which means that there will be a rich harvest of grapes. HOW TO TELL ONE’S AGE