San Antonio Daily Light

A WEATHER FORECASTER.

William C. Dyer, the principal of Madison school in St. Louis, occupies the position as weather prognosticator for the residents of the suburb of Webster Groves, where he has a beautiful home. In 1876 Major Timberlake, then stationed at Jefferson barracks, instructed Prof. Dyer in "goose-bone lore," and showed him records for fifty years back verifying his predictions.

The winter of 1876 was marked by a black streak running the entire length of the bone. That winter was one of continuous cold until the end of February. The bone Prof. Dyer exhibits this year has the January cold spell distinctly marked. After the passing of the present "snap," Prof. Dyer predicts mild weather until the end of February, when, he says, the country will experience another spell of cold similar to the recent one, but not so extended. The bone must be of this year's goose, for, as Prof. Dyer remarked, "Last year's calendar will not do for this year." The sections of the breast bone of December, January and February are well defined, and the dark ones show cold, stormy weather, and the light sections fair and warm.

Prof. Dyer says that the All Wise Creator gives to the animals instincts which enables them to prepare for the weather, and, he thinks, these dark spots are felt by the goose and in that way it is enabled to provide for what is coming. At any rate, the professor claims to have verified the goose-bone predictions every winter since 1876, and he can be seen on the suburban cars almost any morning or evening exhibiting his goose bone to an interested group of suburbanites.