New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-11
IN THE pARK

@'ANNS
wall themselves in with brick and stone, the
genial and rev1ving influence Of springtime
finds them just as surely as it finds the deep
roots of the trees. These early April days are
days of quickening to everything that lives, and
these are the days when a strong social and al
most affectiOnate yearning comes to every one
who is conscious of sharing in the universal
awakening and revival to step out of his Win
ter torpidity and eXclusiveness into hearty
andssympathetic eOmpaniODship with all things
on the earth and In the air which feel the stir
and refreshment of the new life. 1t is not
enough to note the hutter of gayer ribbons on
the street, although these secondary tokens ere
charming in their way. Thorough satisfac-
ton only comes from actual contact and COM
nun ion with naked nature, and the elementary
forces which are crOwding the year onward.
This is why New-YOrkers are drawn to the
Park just now with strong but tender desire.
They go there not to be observed, nor to ex-
change mods and smiles from their carriages
with well decorated acquaintance, but to feel
once more the velvet of the turf, to sec the
bursting buds above, to breathe the subtle OdoIs
that steam from the freshly warmed EARTH to
hear the new songs which the birds have
brought home from the South, and more than
this, to yield themselves up to full and sympa-
thetic union with these vernal surroundings and
to feel themselves consciously forming part of
the grand Spring Opening.
No doubt there are woods and meadows and
orchards which the roar Of the city never
reaches, where the surprises at every step are
more delightful; but to the dweller in the
country the fields and streams have not the fresh
attractiveness which the Park affords TO those
whose daily walk is on the pavement. Even
the Park Commissioner whose destructive
talent is so largely developed is not able to re-
strain the rush Of renewed life which every
clod feels bursting within it and wanderers in
the Park, warmed with the catholic charity of
the season, forget the havoc which this func-
tionaFy makes when he lets himself loose, and
only see the gentle and fOrgving growth with
which Nature seeks to hide the wounds and
bruises he has inflicted. And there is much to
see and to rejoice in. In the thiclets the haze
Of color from the tinted twiGs-vapOr-like and
eusive-a mist of garnet, purple, light maroon
or crimsOned brOwn-is vanishing before the
thickening green of the expanding LEAKAGE.
The deep pink cones OH the larch branches
brighten up the delicate blush green Of the
young needles The red naples are still ahame
with scarlet blossoms to prove the "pOtent
blood of our Northern Spring. The fOrsythias
are already golden to the very ends of the
branches, and the coral buds of the cydonia are
opening to the sun. A close search III secluded
hooks will reveal chance violet or anemone,
and ID the ramble there is at least one group
of blOOd-IoOt with snowy blossoms, a remnant
of the delicate wild flowers which have mostly
been reformed out of the city's pleasure
ground while down by the margin of the lake 4
are still seen a few broad, tropical leaves sue
ceeding the purple and yellow hood of the sym
plocarpus, which smells as sweet by its Greek
name as by the more hOmely one of skunk
cabbage. The strong red shoots of the few
surviving perennials are pushing up beside the
pale blue blossoms of the myrtle, and here and
there a dandeliOn is cleaning on the perfect
green of the lawns, and everywhere is life,
fresh, vigorous and warm:
Of course, properly constructed citizens do
not 90 to the Park to mOralize. They do not
explore tho by-paths to find comparisons and
SMILES or to instruct and fOrtify themselves
with lessons drawn from analogy. The pure
pleasure of an hour among the birds and trees
is satisfying, complete, and of itself an ultimate
good. And yet many a stroller here gathers |
unconsciously fresh treasures of courage and |
patience and hope. This miracle of Spring, re-
peated every year, but always bringing new |
surprises, must certainly mean something. |
There is life in this old world somewhere, even |
at its coolest. The Winter is never 80 wild ana |
desolate that it will not soften. The flowers |
will appear on the earth and the time Of the |
singing of birds will come. Is it not Divine |
Intelligence and Power and Love which rules |
the universe T. Is it not Tenderness as we'll as |
Force, constant and infinite which fills the re-
newed years with beauty and strength Is |
not each new creation new revelation Of the
Creator, granted TO strengthen our trust in his
unfailing FatherhoOdf
HARD-HEADED PEOPLE