Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-23
Isummer and summering.

Summer is fairly upon US. The sun bids
Cancer adieu to-day, and we enter on the
sweitering term. The bright new-mown stub
BILE begins to fade, and crisp, and parch under
the Parthian arrows of fleeing but malig-
nant sun. The gaping and chirping young
birds forsake the hawthorne and the bramble
twitter among the foliage of the shadowy
forest and practice the holder fight Pant
ing 1ocks hurry to the grass-plotted fence
corners; and sleek and indolent herds come
up from the pastures to the grove at noon,
ruminate and lazily whisk off the swarming
flies. The toiling husbandman anticipates
the meridian, untethers from the pillow, and
turns his sweating horse to the fountain TO
drink, and then to roll in the grateful dust.
The stalwart ranks of blooming and shooting
corn cross and swing their graceful blades at
the command of the fitful breeze, or carry
them motionless in the sultry calm. Blushing
orchards are turned to gold at the touch of
magnificent Heavens philosopher stone. and
Nature hastens on to q glorious and full
fruition. The gushing spring-spout grows
clearer, by contrast cooler, and may be weak
er. The sold oaken bucket" is sweeter and
dearer, and swings oftener over and down
into the depths of the well. The brook that
babbles along down the dell whispers softlier
to the flower that kisses its ripples, while the
upshooting and overshadowing trees show
their topmost leaves wilted to preserve a
darker, quieter, cooler shade beneath. Men
and women get on the north side, at the other
extremity of the most eligible air-way on the
premises, and submit their faculties to the all
pervadng and over-powering heat. Dancing
Dick, the oppressive. impalpable, noiseless
Dick, careers over meadow, lane and field,
and triumphs through the long mid-days OF
the heavy summer. So it is in the country.
In the city, all that was before positive jumps
to the superlative. These long lines of burn
ing tiles, glowing walls and blazing streets
are but the separate parts of a human bakery.
In so far as all flesh is grass, we are wilted,
cured, cooked. The brain, spirit and energies
go forth at noon tide as INFO bake-oven-
into a stew-pan-God forbid! into regular
dinner-pot Shades of all three-Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-nego!
Is it a wonder that men, women and chill
dren fee the city in these piping times''-Of
fire? To Beersheba, to Beaver Dam. to King
ston's. to Tyree, to Whites Greek, to Buena
Vista, to Epperson's, to the Hardin White Sui
phur, to Lookout, to Valhermosa, to CatOOsa,
to dnyrchere! so be, it is not Fiery furnace?'
If under these circumstances we are becoming
q spring-visiting people, is it objectionable
Therefore, let us CAD away to the springs, and
there gossip, and make love, and eat good
dinners, and worship, and drink mineral wa
tiers and balmy breezes, and lie down to I'M
musGuitoed slumbers and pleasant dreams,
and keep up good health and spirits and good
appearances. We speak for our people, not
for ourselves. We have the cup of Tantalus
in our hands-all of us of this estate, the
fourth estate, the press-gang, have-and we
beg to be excused from all pressing invita-
tions to go abroad. We will be sweltered
and stewed, and baked, and parboiled for all
the rest. OF course, we can undergo this and
have every morning fresh, various, pleasing
paper out betimes. Be content therefore,
good reader, to HE away to the mountains,
and to the valley fountains, where
''Luxuriant JOY,
r And pleasure in excess, sparkling, exult
On every brow and revel unrcstrand."