The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-15

and Red" (by "H. Fl" in December Atlantic),
and consider how utterly helpless photogra-
pier must feel at "Blair Athol'
But if our scenery be thus theme tabooed,
as beyond the reach of pen or pencil to describe
or even faily hint at, transcending alike the
poets frenzy and the artists skill; some thing
which the "men who never pray" do yet thank
God daily for, but may not talk about; whose
influence Is perpetual redemption and its
every smile benediction, but whose devoutest
saints must love with reverential passion and
adore in silence; there still remains for gossip
that good old theme, the weather. for which
let us be "duly grateful" That, at least, can
aever be ''too bright or good" either to de-
scribe or enjoy; though if you think such an
experience possible this is the place to realize
it. What do you say to four months of Indian
summer, more than hundred consecutive
golden days and crystal nights? And still
they come trooping on. Since November six
tenth we have not had a day that would be
called unpleasant in Maine, and but two or
three even partially cloudy.
No snow. rain, mud, nor fog. No hot-air
furnaces nor donble windows No icy curb
stones nor sloppy streets. Top-coats, umbrel-
las, oVer-shoes, and tsuch down-east trappings
slumber obscure!y in the dark closet" as lit.
tie used thought of as life-preservers in port;
while Browns Bronchial Troches'' and the
"infallible what-is-it for coughs, colds and
rheumatism" keep them company on the top
shelf. We don't know an M. d. by sight; but
it is safe to address almost any particularly de-
lected looking man as doctor; though IL
might turn out to be the druggist; for he TOO,
seems unhappy of late, says nothing about tue
the glorious centennial" and l notice tne
more pity them both in the abstract (for
you will grant there is something sad in seeing
a generation of philanthropists, heroically bent
on devoting their lives to the relief of human
man suffering, waste slowly away with COL
roding melancholy for the mere lack of misery
to mitigate), and have tried ito feel sorry for
them; but the climate somehow makes is next
to impossible to be real sorry for anything
which may, perhaps be one reason why we
have SO few "revivals of religion" of the con-
ventional sort. Calvinistic theology proper I
am told, does not flourish we'll here; and it is a
poor place for pessimists in general.
1t you want the exact figures as TO tempera-
ture, humidity Sc, must refer you to the Sig
nal Bureau; for keep no record of such things,
and seldom consult thermometer. Why
should /? Can't one let well enough alone? l
only know that It's just warm enough, just cool
enough, and just dry enough; and am there
with content. Have occasionally seen the mer-
curry. standing between eighty.fye and one
hundred degrees, out of doors in the sun, at
midday; but suppose the mean temperature be.
tween sunrise and sunset, to be about sixty five
or seventy degrees, Fahrenbeit, in the sun; and
not far from forty-fve, in the shade.
However this may be, we need no fires from
eight O'Clock in the morning till after sunset;
and then only light wood or soft coal fire in
the crate. Windows stand open the live-long-
day. Ladies drive and play croquet in shade
boys-no stint of hall, kite or gun. Childhood
too. is DISTINGUISHED. The most careful mother
forgets her old bug-bear of damp feet" and
''east wind" and the rosy children are let to
revel in the warm lap of mother earth amid
their sand pies and miniature forts, regardless
wbether the sun be in Cancer or in Capricorn.
The nights-well, they are sparkling and frosty I;
so much one may safely say. But who shall
attempt to depict the splendors of Colorado
night, or make its transcendant glories intel
gible to one who has seen the stellar regions
only through the misty atmosphere of mari
an idea of what is possible in the way of eli
mate or scenery, there is one way-come and
see. Only, don't expect TO learn it in year or
two Pack up Tor burn) your pe7adtes and come
to stay. A two or three years visit were doubt
less better than none; but if you come for life
you can still sing at departing with suitable
alterations) that stanza of the sweet old hymn
which SO puzzled our childhood, by declaring
lin linked melody "long drawn OUT that after
we shall 'have been there ten thousand years"
we comprehend or lessen infinity of beauty
more than infTnity of time? I am not going
to record here my unqualified assent to the
faith of venerable man, for twenty years
hunter and trapper in these mountains, who
solemnly assured me, not long since, that he
fected as the archetype of the "new heavens"
and the new earth,' or to use his own words
"as working model to build the future world
by;" but to one who has lived here for some
time, the good old mans within seems neither
shockingly profane nor grotesque, even il it
awakens no momentary chord of responsive
assent But the subject is SO seductive that
fear the only way to make an end of it will
be to mail you this letter (already too long, and
reserve what else have to say for another;