Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-26
INDIAN SUMMER.
THE CHARMING CHARACTERISTICS
OF NATURES FAREWELL
TO SUMMER
From the Baltimore Sun.

nave ldu II utliBnllhi lhSNo VI bhN
season when nature seems to hesl-
tate between the warm embraces
of summer and the cold bonds Of
winter. The trees, which two
weeks ago were gayly decked in
honor of the general harvest home,
have taken on their sombre hues,
and their scantily.clad branches
bear witness to their unseliish
efforts to protect the roots of ten
der shrubs and grasses from the
vIsitations of cold rains and sleet
and colder winds. The nights are
frosty, the sky at evening is
beautifully tinted by the sun, and
the smoky haze, which almost dis
appears at midday, rises thick
about the horizon in the morning
and afternoon, and reddens the
sunlight, which seems to fall slant
wise across the withered grass
Nature, though a motherly matron,
has not laid aside the coyness of
her maidenhood. Released for a
brief period from the churches Of
the cruel, lusty KablbonOkka, by
the dexterity of her champion,
Shingebis, she turns gratefully
towards the summer home OF
Shawondasse, the South Wind
He has withdrawn his pipe and
thought its heat can scarcely be
felt, she enjoys the perfume Of his
smoke, which fills the air, and by
its dreamy influence produces in
man, beast, bird and insect the
lassltude of spring. Man for the
time has tendency to return to
the indolent, careless life of his
original savagery and to become
natural again. But if signs are to
be followed, the strokes of winter
are not to be severe this year, for
the harvest of nuts and acOrns for
the squirrels was pot a plentiful
one, the crows do not evince a
very strong inclination to fly
further South, and it is reasonable
to suppose that the winter will not
be such as to prevent them from
eking ont a livelihood until the
spring.
But while Indian summer con.
tinues everybody and everything
will enjoy it, for at most it is un-
certain and short.lived. The origin
of the term is doubtful. The weight
of opinion, strengthened by Gus
tom, inclines to the belief that the
pleasant, balmy weatherin October
or November succeeding the first
heavy frOsts and rains Of the fall is
called Indian summer from the
custom Of the Indians OF gather
ing at that time their late crops
and laying by stores for the winter,
or because at that season, the
south wind blowing, the Indians
attributed the delightful change to
the interposition of one OF their
favOrite deities, who controlled
that wind. Such is the theory
which has been generally adopted
and perpetuated in American
literature. Another explanation
was offered in 1888, twenty-five
years before IIiawatha appeared,
by Samuel Kercheval, who had
spent many years travelling about
the Valley of Virginia, and who in
corporated the tales, traditions and
facts which he collected in vol
ume descriptive of that region. Hia
theory, hardly as tenable rs the
first mentioned one, carries one
back to the time when whites and
Indians cOntended for the exclusive
possession OF the valley pralrles
and woodland, when men carried
their arms to church with them and
were anxious for the safety of their
homes and families when for any
cause they were absent. At that
time only the severity of winter
guaranteed the settlers security
from Indian attacks. In the spring
and early fall the pioneers were
obliged by fear of savages to re-
man within the narrow confines OF
the fort, but when winter approach
ed they removed to their cabins
and engaged busily in preparations
for the cold weather. Bnt, as
Kercheval wrote, "It sometimes
happened after the apparent onset
of winter the weather became
warm, the smoky time commenced
and lasted for a considerable mum
Der of days. This was the Indian
summer, because it affored the In
dians another opportunity of visit.
ing the settlements with thell
destructive warfare If this be
tho true origin Of the term, distance
has verify lent an enchantment tC
it, and one can well congratulate
himself with the reflection that h'
was not obliged to associate tn,
charming, peaceful season with it'
terrifying, warlike baptism.
When the children of the rec
men, predecessors of the pale-face
English.speaklng interlOperso of thi'
country, shall have vanished from
the face OF the earth, many of thei
soft words and romantic tradition
which have enriched our Language
and literature will survive, ant
though many persons may use th
term in complete ignorance OF 1t