The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-26
Something on Minnesota Weather,


disparaging to his faculties that mankind
talks SO much about the weather. The
narrow jawed people who shiver in the
damp, chill eastern winds of New Eng
land, although they may luxuriate every
day on the freshest of Goldfish, cheese and
sea CLANS, have very justifable cause for
spending part of their time in coughing,
and talking about the changes in the
weather. The pork-eating, whisky-im-
bibing denizens of that prolific central
zone, stretching from the Alleghanies to
Western Kansas, and which literally flows
with lard, petroleum and corn juice, still
find their joys by no means unalloyed,
since native mud knee deep is mixed with
their indigenous fat, and all those who
escape the quakings of delirium tremens,
are compensated by the intermittent shak-
ings of the ohills and fever. So, too, in
the great seaboard cities, where the streets
flow with filthy slush, and the dank at
mosphere settles like a chilled vapor bath
down upon everything-the sick and the
well-filling the street and the house with
an unhealthy atmospheric slime-no Won
der is it that the people watch with solicit
tude for the sun to give one furtive glance,
like the eye Of mercy through the gloom
Of despair.
AS the invalid finds a sort of gloomy
comfort in talking about his i'll health, or
the bankrupt of his losses, and each fondly
dwelling upon some slight sign Of improv-
ing condition, so ali these people have &C.
quired an excusable habit otItalking,
great deal of their time, about the state of
the weather, 1t is not so, however, in
Minnesota. We have become so familiar
lied with the finest climate on this CONT
nent that, like man of uniform good
health, we only come to a realizing sense
of it's blessing and excellence, when en-
countered by an occasional chad spell :"
| Thus, when some elemental war on the
Atlantic coast drives benumbing storm
of sleet across the continent, some settler
from the "granite hills" may complain at
being overtaken by the old tormenting
blasts from which he has fled. So, per-
haps, occasional vapors and changes of the
wind may inspire our inhabitants from In
diana or EGYPT" though their sallow
cheeks have turned rudy with health, with
fear and trembling at imaginary prognos-
tics of visitation from their old inter-
mittent friend and tertian shaker.
Some take colds from wearing thin
shoes and clothing or other exposure, and
will grumble because the climate is not
compatible with so airy style of costume,
or some other physical abandonment.
Others will find fault with Minnesota air,
because their lungs have not grown anew
under its influence. Even cripples enter
tain sort of fabulous impression that new
legs and arms should sprout and grow to
them in country whose atmosphere can
not be accused Of harboring or generating
any cause of disease. All these are dis
appointed in our climate, and of course
will complain, finding in that way, per-
haps, the only though imperfect relief for
their affections .. .....
| But with these exceptions, Minnesotians
do not, like other people, talk about the
weath,r We even allege that they do
not sufficiently appreciate their climate to
really enjoy it. Like the inhabitants of
the tropic,, who by familiarity become
disdainful of the most delicious and tempt
ing fruits, so we seem to have cloyed of
too continuous enjoyment of an exemp-
ton from most of the climatic ills that our
sister States are heir to. 1t is only by
COMPARISON that we are struck with the
real value of the treasure Minnesota pos
sesses in this way In looking over our
exchange files we invariably find that dur
ing, or shortly after or before, any iDclem-
emit season of weather we may ex-
peIience here, the same character OF
weather intensified in severity, often to
double degree, has pervaded many other
Portions of the country. Even in point of
low temperature, Minnesota will not be
found alone; many other places in no
higher attitudes experiencing the same de-
gree of cold while We possess many ALE
Waiting CIRCUMSTANCES denied to them,
such as the moderate and uniform depth
Of snow and degrees of uniform tempera-
| ture Of the climate.
| Yet even as to the matter of GOODNESS
we appeal to the experience of the Oldest
inhabitaut as well a. undoubted statistics
to show that the majority of winters in
our State have been characterized by a
mildness and pleasing equability that in