The Portland daily press., 1873-05-20
Concerning Summer.

In writing of the seasons aid of summer in
particular in this latitude, one must be
aware that he is striking out into an unkno VII
sea, One Thompson "did" the seasons col
lectively once, and we think well, though in nc
case did he predict an "open winter or an
''early spring." He made no use of the flu
ture tense and following his example, we shall
not. We may, however,-at this time safely
say that although summer has not come
there are many signs of its approach. TIE
sun is nearing the tropic of Cancer; the rail.
roads have set forth the superlative attrac.
tons of the summer resorts along their lines
the gardeners, strong in faith but clad in win
ter garments, have planted their peas; the
advertisements of the thrifty dry goods mer-
chants declare in unmistakable type, that the
finest and largest and cheapest assortment
of summer goods are for sale by
them; the hotel and clearinghouse
proprietors Of the rural resorts vie
with those of the sea side In the assiduity
with which they bring to the public the rare
inducements Of their respective places; house
keepers are becoming prophetic about hot
weather and make one uncomfortable in cou-
templated raid upon the stoves and those
se ni-annual revolutions called house clean
ings; the fields are assuming a moderately
greenish shade; close observation discloses
that the maple and the elm have received
mysterious promises of summer and its YER
dure and tie journalist knows beyond a
doubt that summer draweth nigh by the turn
that the puffs Of the s'chronic dead head' are
taking-in his formal gush about the seen
cry Of the localities he proposes to visit, and
the rare attractions of the hotels where he
proposes to exchange his printed slips for
board when called upon for greenbacks.
The early summer is generally regarded
as season for joy and gladness, and one in
which all classes of people, except those vino
toll on regardless of seasons, have their pc
culiar plans for the enjoyment thereof
Nevertheless, summer has its dangers
and annoyances as well as its joys
and pleasures. Taking single warm day as
the certain advent of summer, thousands will
cast aside the fitting clothi1g of winter for
garments that vie with the lilies, both IN re-
spect to color and frailty, to take cold that
will find no repentance short of fever, rheu-
matism or consumption. Parents, too, can
be only nom entarily glad that the terror Of
thin ice, to which boys take by infatuation, i
over when they remember that skating gives
place to swimming, boating and sailing, with
their too natural results of cramps, careless
ness and squalls. Timid people whose ghost
is gunpowder and firearms, though uni ,aded,
are now troubled about the Fourth of July
and its abominabe fire-crackers and powder
burning. 1t is the time Of picnic toe, land joy
Gus children will groupupon the railroad track,
unconscious of its use. Wild trains freighted
with excursion parties will, it is feared, be
first made CONSCIOUS of the regular by their
collision-if not in Maine, elsewhere. The
epicure is delighted with the thought ofstraw-
berries, green peas and the Ii sc luxuries OF
the sea on; but does he forget that it is also
the period of Hilted vegetables and cholera
morbus? The moralist viii shudder to think
that tits the season in which the young repre-
sentatives of the race will be beguiled to eat
green and unforbidden fruit, and doubtless
steal it to the devastation of their tender
fields Of morality, and atone for it by gripes,
and COLES, for which no late repentance is meet.
Then there are the deceits, the envies, the
j,alousies, the airtations and vanities ofthe
fashionable resorts; hut as we cannot moral
ize, it is only necessary to point these out in
connection with other Inconvenience that
thousands feel obliged to subject themselves
to because it is summer.
1t has not been our purpose to take the
brightest side of summer time. 1t is to be
hoped that others will find IFS beauties. II is
only to the dangers that we would call att n
ito in order that they may be partially ave
ed 1t will be proper to observe, howeve !,
in closing, that summer has not thus far PUT
in its appearance.