Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 29.djvu/862

842 in the afternoon, and during a cessation, shortly before sunset, the light burst through the clouds in the western sky and a most magnificent rainbow appeared in the east, with the top of the circle about fifty-five degrees from the horizon. All that portion of the clouded sky within the circle changed to a brilliant red color, while all without the circle was of a dull bluish-gray shade. The rainbow thus formed a sharp division between the two portions of the sky which were in such striking contrast to each other. For a time the red sky inclosed by the rainbow was so deeply colored that the red portion of the rainbow, which was in itself remarkably brilliant, could not be distinguished from it, but it appeared as though the red part of the rainbow had spread out, covering the entire plane inclosed within the circle. A similar phenomenon never having come before my notice, and having never read an account of one, I would respectfully ask the editors of "The Popular Science Monthly," or the intelligent readers thereof, to furnish me with an explanation. Why should the red portion of the clouded sky within the circle and the bluish-gray portion without be so sharply defined and divided by the rainbow?

Messrs. Editors:

"Animal and Plant Lore of Children," in your publication for July, called to mind a few beliefs that children had in Southern Illinois twenty years ago, and which were not enumerated in the article referred to. Snakes were numerous, and the subject of many superstitions. To kill a snake and hang its body on a living bush would produce rain within twenty-four hours. Snakes delight in the hot sun-rays which precede a thunder-shower, and are often killed at such times. It was a general belief that live coals placed on a snake would cause four legs to grow from its body. To inhale, the breath of a snake was sure death to the child who met with such an accident. Children were firm in the belief that snakes could charm them if they gazed steadily at the reptiles' eyes. It was bad luck not to kill the first snake seen in the spring. The negro children believed that the lives of snakes were guarded by the devil.

The "tobacco-juice" expectorated by grasshoppers was a sure cure for warts. Bean-leaves not only cured warts, but killed cancers.

Bad luck befell the person who saw a rabbit cross his path, unless out on a hunting expedition. If a child killed a cricket, his clothes would be ruined by other crickets.

Toads or humble-bees entering the house were as sure signs of company as the crowing of a rooster at the front doer.

Frost always made its appearance just six weeks from the time the first katydid was heard.

Cats were credited with nine lives, and turkey-buzzards with the power to vomit on naughty children.

In fishing, a few drops of blood on the bait were more valuable than spit or hare callosity. The latter was also a cure for toothache.

The ant-lion was enticed from his den by repeating, "Noodle! noodle! come out of your hole!" He was then punished by death for being so easily fooled.

Purposely to kill a lady-bug would cause sickness, and accidentally to do so, some kind of bad luck.

Many of these beliefs were held by grown persons as well as children, while adults had many superstitions which children could not understand.



OTHING could better illustrate the great need that exists, even in this highly favored country, for a more general diffusion of intelligence, than the extent to which people, who can at least read and write, allow themselves to become the dupes of the most transparent impostures. The post-office authorities are engaged in a perpetual struggle to prevent people, who would be deeply offended if they were spoken of as deficient in intelligence, or if any one hinted that they were not fully, if not superabundantly, qualified for the highest duties of citizenship, from parting with their money to impudent adventurers who advertise their ridiculous and utterly fraudulent schemes in the newspapers. At one end of the 