New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-04
NEW. YORk,s ECCENTRIC SPRINGS.

New-York is less liable TO freshets of spring poetry
than places with more stable and reliable
climate but this is about the only consolation the
optimIst draw from the situation There can
be doubt that New York has a spring every year,
but when an attempt is made to pin 1t down to
particular period 1t is apt to provo elusive The
trouble is not some might think, that tho advent
of spring il later years than others The diff
Guilty Is of another kind. At about the same time
every year spring comes to us-more or less But
what we never can tell is how long it will stay
how often winter will return to take one more look
at US before summer arrives and settles down to
business. April is nom.nally spring month, and
bowling to conventions. as civilized people will,
New Workers discard their winter clothing. endue
themselves with lighter garments. possess them
selves of radiant and ravsh ng bonncts and gowns,
and solemny make believe that have done with
nclement weather altogether and are about To
glide gently aud unnterruptedly into the tropical
months when straw hats. iced drinks and the shady
sides Of the streets are popular. Meanwhile the
clerk OF the weather laughs in his sleeve sardoni
cally, and away in Montana or Manitoba adult
cold wave issues forth. sweeps merrily across 2be
continent, and the mercury drops with a sckening
thud to somewhere PROFESSIONALLY near zero.
Then the doctors are in demand. and our shiverng
population. going about In spring overcoats and
wraps which have suddenly become a CHASTITY
mockcry. smile at ono another with an attempt at
cheerfulness which their blue noses render douby
patheiin aud inlalss i all lhs ~ar's.is- f plnon-
AIRY and bronchial affections known to medical
scence IL is not while the harsh winter months
warn us TO retain our thckest garments. and occa-
sional genial days fail TO lure from sanitary
precautions, that We are in most danger. Ii il
when the conventional spring has come. and tho
breaking up of winter seems 10 have occurred, and
burgeon forth with brilliant displays of flow
ers. that We ere most in jeopardy For then
the impotence and trustiulness OF the
New-Yorker-typiied most beautifully in Mr..
James ID. Fish's touching faith in the genu
ineness Of Wards Government contracts-lead us
into renunciations of winter usages which rebound
TO the benefit OF the April rclapses into winter. and
when the cold waves come at this season we are
less prepared for them than at any time of the year.
II we could so arrange things as 10 have all our
winter In ono piece. and all our spring the same
wav there would he distinct benefit in the change.
As is. our poetcal enthusiasm; the rising of our
sap 40 TO speak; is checked and chilled by the too
frequent substitutions Of late winter for early
spring. And while our characteristic trustfulness
ia don btess very beautiful, IL may be casually re-
marked that confidence habitualy repaid by
oatarrh pneumonia and competitive chills may in
the course of time be thought to suffer some abuse.
And it is doubtful even whether the absence OF the
Sprng Poet altogether compt nsates us for tho pres
enco of the meteorological conditions which pre-
vent him from lourishng in this latitude.