The Yellowstone journal., 1894-12-12

Haze Saused by smoke?
There is a great difference of opinicn
among those who are wise in weath r
lore as To the exact time when Indian
summer makes its appearance, some
weather prophets declaring that it ir
cludes every warm day between NJ
chaelmas day, the 29th of September
and Christmas, while others locate it
In the month Of October Indeed, til,
opinions of scientists do not agree am
better than those of ordinary individU-
ais, but seem to be as hazy as the seasa1
itself
After looking up much scientific dat
ON the subject, and making n consensus
Of popular opinion. the fact seem
established that this phrnorenru O.
seasons really belongs to the month os
November, although the signal service
notes say that if Indian summer doe
not come in October or Novenlhar i
viii come in winter, as if il We're "A ~ur-
Of movable season. Neither do scientist.
agree as 70 the cause Of that hazv at
mosphere which accompanies the season.
a condition peculiar tn North America.
1t was attributed by early settlers II
this country to the smoke from prafri
fires klndled by the lndians-henco thu
name, Indian summer - But II l.
now said by scientific investigator tina
the appearance of smoke is an optical
illusion produced by peculiar cundi-
tion of the air, which might be- cumpar-
ed TO dry fog. Sentime ntalists declare
that IL is this dreamy hlze which give.
its great charm u this hort. delightful
season, when the who world of ma
ture appears like "A beq utiful dream. II
Is the fifth season, th mellow ripcness
of autumn. when CT alton stands still
in lazy, languorous mood. and the pic
ture is vanishing aud indistinct like
one of Corot's lands apes. 1t is the gold
en- sunset OF the yea, brief and evaueS-
cent.
Like a mirage, the Indian summer
does not wait to he investig gated. II is
here-it is gone-before the would be-
investigator was aware of its presence !
1t is such restful, happy period that
people are content to enjoy it without |
asking questions, yet there is much in |
its phenomenal that is worth the most |
careful scientific investigation 1t has |
been suggested that the dreamy haze !
which accompanies the season is com |
posed of animal life of such a minute |
form as TO be incapable of microscopic
examination, but of such innumerabe
quantities that they obscure the atmos-
phere and redden the sun II is also
charged to vegetable matter, but these
are mere theories which have not vet
been proved
Another token by which this genial
Indian summer makes itself known is
the absolute silence of nature herself,
rs II she We're taking vacation from
winds that blow and clouds that shade.
There Is such stiffness in the air from
sunrise to sunset thar sound itself seems
to have gone asleep. But there i no
loneliness III the silence II j. only As if
We're resting, bathed in the
happy sunshine. The flowers are gone;
The singing birds have flown To their
southern ciimes; the leaves have drop
ped from the trees when the Indian
summer comes trailing her white veil to
,over the desolGtIan and filling all hearts
With the tranquility of her gracious
presence. There l. tonic in the air she
brings which chemists cannot bCttlcnur
'harge commercial rates for -whilIs of
summers that have been contracted into
few days and gone before we can an ,
Ilyze them to say, This i balsan. or ,
hat Is balm. - It is draft for the gods. ,
The subject of Indian summer was
Investigated as long ago as 1885, when
)r. Lyman Foot Of the United States Z
rmy In his report says that the Indians I
ave the season its name by calling it
heir fall summer, which occurred d
4 November. The doctor was stationed {
Fort Winnabago, Missouri territory,
the time and wrote from observation.
Ie says:
We arrived at this post the Sd day
last November. We had three weeks u
Indian summer. with all the peculiar
dnesS Of the sky in grsat perfection. :" r,
e adds that he had long observed the l
ason with curious attention and calls
r an expression of opinion ON the sub L
ct from other observers.
Professor Willet advanced the theory
a report made To the government in r.
'67 that the dry fog is real smoke, not
oduced by prairie fires, but the prod
" VI ShiAluty-. iHS late fTO1eSSDT M
enry of the Smithsonian institution Il
ported that a portion of the haze, fl
red, was found To contain the lava of
lcanoes and fragments of burned veg III
ables. Neither of these distinguished
ientists added anything to the litera-
re OF our Indian summer, so when IT,
ctors disagree it is not expected that
dinary observers will be able to for
ulate any tenable theory of its cause
'e next best thing is to enjoy its op- Ii
leaving its origin to the un-
own source whence it is derived.
New England is especially favored by TT
Is after summer guest. In that land
rocks and rills the stiffness of the oc-
;ion is more delicious, the haze more
etic and the winds more languorous
their passive acquiescence in this ~
'ditative mood of nature. Emerson