Portents: Scares, Old and New.

The article reports that the people of Christian nations after the Council of Nicaea were frequently disturbed by the changes and appearances of natural phenomena. Certain happenings which have occurred recently, domestic and foreign, mundane and heavenly, have contributed to our knowledge of what will cause a people to take fright. The newspapers give us reports of strange occurrences, so grave that they shock the politicians in the capitals of the world. Yet, with all the explanation of scientists and politicians, we learn nothing about the effect these dreadful things will have upon the routine of each day. No one can tell us if the earth satellite, as it is, will reduce the tonnage of a truck of coal, the volume of oil for a tanker, or even a bushel of wheat for a granary. These are now some of the chief concerns of the day to day interest, not only to the mass of producers, but to consumers of all types and ages. That the people generally, show no particular concern must be plain to the observant man who travels the parkways of the state and sees all the warning signs of what will happen when the siren warns them to take cover in a shelter.