Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1876 — The Goose-Bone and the Weather. [ARTICLE]

The Goose-Bone and the Weather.

The goose-bone predictions are, perhaps, more closely watched in Kentucky than anywhere else, and it may be called the Kentucky weather-prophet. In many parts of the State the farmers consult it, and prepare for handling their crops in accordance with its predictions. It is said that there is a family in Woodford County that has nfty of these little prophets carefully laid away, and declare that not one of them made a mistake in their predictions. Let us turn tothisyear’s prophecy. We must take the breast-bone of a last spring's goose—none other will do, for the prophecy does not extend beyond the year in which the goose is hatched. Thanks to a friend, we have such a bone. It must be divided into three parts, which represent the three divisions of winter. The breast-bone of a goose is translucent, hut at places has cloud like blots upon it. These blots denote cold weather. Looking at the bone before us, we cold weather about the Ist of Deem her, which we have realized; and there is another blot bevond the center of the bone, denoting cold weather about the middle of January; this cloud w are passing now, and so far our little prognosticator has guided us right. We are to have warmer weather after a few days, but the worst is to come. The darkest blots are near the end of the bone, and, if the prophecy fails not, winter will verify the saying of coming in like a lamb and going out like a roaring lion. Our coldest weather will come after the middle of February, and our warmest fires will be required for the parting days of wintei ana the first days of spnng. This is the goose-bohe prophecy, and, as we have the word of a good old farmer that it has no! failed for fitly years, we would advise the laying in of a good supply of coal, and general preparations to meet cold weathei —for the goose-bone has said it, and old ■winter win be after young spring with a great big Icicle.” —Louimlie Commercial A fatal duel has jrtst taken place in tipain, where the Marquis de Sofraza his been shot by Major Lilburns, an Irish officer tn the service of Dan Carlos. The duel, it is said, was conducted with “chivalrous courtesy" on both sides. The first interchange of shots being ineffect ual„the seconds most kindly decided on allowing the combatants to indulge in a second shot, and thus give them a chance of compensation for the disappointment caused by their first Ineffectual effort to destroy each other. This second attempt was partly Successful, tor although Major Lilburne was not killed,his bullet pierced the brain of the Marquis de Sofraza, who died in a few mihutes.