The herald., 1894-12-08
THE INDIAN SUMMER.
WHEN IT COMES AND WHAT is RE-
sPONslBLE FOR IT.

Scientists and other Investigators Differ
In Their Views Upon the suhject-How
the Season Was Given It's Naine-Is the
Haze CaUed by Smoker
There is great difference of opinion
among those who are wise in weather
lore as to the exact time when Indian
summer makes it's appearance, some
weather prophets declaring that it in
| cluGes every warm day between Mi
chaelmas day, the 29th Of September,
and Christmas, while others locate it
in the month Of October. Indeed, the
opinions Of scientists do not agree any
better than those of ordinary individu-
| ais, but seem to be as hazy as the season
itself.
After looking up much scientific data
on the subject, and making consensus
of popular opinion, the fact seems
established that this phenomenon Of
seasons really belongs to the month of
November, although the signal service
notes say that If Indian summer does
1 not come in October or November it
will come in winter, as if it were a sort
Of movable season. Neither do scientists
agree as to the cause of that hazy at
mosphere which accompanies the season,
condition peculiar to North America.
1t was attributed by early settlers in
this country to the smoke from prairie
fires kindled by the Indians-hence the
name. "Indian summer But it is
now said by scieAtifio investigators that
the appearance of smoke is an optical
illusion produced by peculiar condi-
tion of the air. which might be compar-
ed to dry fog. Sentimentalists declare
that it is this dreamy haze which gives
its great charm to this short, delightful
season, when the whole world of ma
ture appears like beautiful dream. It
is the fifth season, the mellow ripeness
of autumn. when creation stands still
in lazy, languorous mood, and the pio-
ture is vanishing and indistinct like
one of Corot's landscapes. 1t is the gold
en- sunset of the year, brief and evanes-
cent.
Like a mirage, the Indian summer
does not wait to be investigated. 1t 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 phenomena 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 minute
form as to be incapable of microscopic
examination, but Of such innumerable
quantities that they obscure the atrnos-
phere and redden the sun. 1t is also
charged to vegetable matter, but these
are mere theories which have not yet
been proved.
Another token by which this genial
Indian summer makes itself known is
the absolute silence Of nature herself,
as if she were taking vacation from
winds that blow and clouds that shade.
There is such stiffness in the air from
sunrise to sunset that sound itself seems
to have gone asleep. But there is no
| loneliness in the silence 1t is only rs if
everything were resting, bathed in the
happy sunshine. The flowers are gone;
the singing birds have flown to their
ped from the trees when the Indian
summer comes trailing her white veil to
cover the desolation and filling all hearts
with the tranquility Of her gracious
presence There is q tonic in the air she
brings which chemists cannot bottle nor
charge commercial rates for-whiffs Of
summers that have been contracted into
few days and gone before we can an
alyze them to say, "This is balsam, or
that is balm. - Ii is draft for the gods.
The subject of Indian summer was
investigated as long ago as 1885, when
Dr. Lyman Foot of the United States
army in his report says that the Indians
gave the season its name by calling it
their 'fall summer, which occurred
in November The doctor was stationed
at Fort Winnebago, Missouri territory,
at the time and wrote from observation.
He says:
"We arrived at this post the 3D. day
Of last November. We had three weeks
of Indian summer, with all the peculiar
redness of the sky in great perfection. "
He adds that he had long observed the
season with curious attention and calls
for an expression of opinion on the sub
jeot from other observers
Professor Willet advanced the theory
IN report made to the government in
1867 that the dry fog is real smoke, not
produced by prairie fires, but the prod
not of chimneys. Tho late Professor
Henry of the Smithsonian institution
reported that portion of the haze, fl
tered, was found to contain the lava Of
volcanoes and fragments of burned veg
etables. Neither of these distinguished
scientists added anything to the litera-
ture of our Indian summer, so when
doctors disagree it is not expected that
ordinary Observers will be able to for
mulate any tenable theory of its cause.
The next best thing is to enjoy it's op-
portunities, leaving its origin to the un-
known source whence it is derived.
New England is especially favored by
this after summer guest. In that land
of rocks and rills the stiffness of the oc-
casion is more delicious, the haze more
poetic and the winds more languorous
in their passive acquiescence in this
! meditative mood Of nature. Emerson
must have written of this period:
Twas one Of the charmed days
When the genius Of God doth flow.