Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-08
WHEN COMES INDIAN SUMMER!

WHEN COMES INDIAN SUMMER.
Some Time between MichneImas and
Christmas, Perhaps.
| From the Detroit Free Press.
There is a great difference of opinion
among those who are wise in weather lore
| as to the exact time when Indian summer
| makes its appearance, some weather proph-
cts declaring that 1t includes every warm
| day between Michaelmas day (the 10Th of
| September) and Christmas while others To-
cate it in the month of October. Indeed,
| the opinions of scientists do not agree any
| better than those of ordinary individuals.
| but seem to be as hazy as the season itself.
After looking up much scientific data on
| the subject and making consensus of popu-
| lar 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 sum-
| mer does not come in october or November
| it will come in winter, as If 1t were sort
of movable season. Neither do scientists
| agree as to the cause of that hazy atmos-
| phere which accompanies the season, con-
dition 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 sum-
mer." But it is now said by scientific in
| vestigators that the appearance of smoke is
an optical illusion produced by peculiar
condition of the air, which might be COM
pared to dry fog. Sentmentalists declare
| that it is this dreamy haze which gives its
| great charm to this short, delightful season,
when the whole world of nature appears like
| a beautiful dream. 1t is the fifth season
| the mellow ripeneSs of autumn-when crea-
| ton stands still in lazy, dangerous mood,
| and the picture is vanishing and indistinct,
| like of Corots landscapes. 1t is the
golden 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 a
| restful, happy period that people are con-
! tent to enjoy il without asking questions,
| yet there is much in its phenomena that is
| worth the most careful scientific investiga-
| ton. 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 atmosphere and redden
| the sun. 1t Is also charged to vegetable
| NATTER but these are mere theories which
| have not yet been proven. So far, no I'M
| healthful influences have been evoked nor
| any fashionable malady produced to shake
| our confide ice in the chance season, which,
| for aught We know, may be a celestial
| estray, giving us foretaste of more de-
| lightful climate.
| Another token by which this genial Indian
summer makes itself known is the absolute
silence of nature herself, 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 20 loneliness in the
silence, il is only as il everything were
| resting, bathed in the happy sunshine. The
| flowers are gone, the singing birds have
| flown to their southern chimes. the leaves
have dropped from the trees when the In
| dian summer comes trailing her white veil
| to cover the deSolation, and filling all
| hearts with the tranquility of her gra-
| cious presence. There is a tonic in the air
she brings which chemists cannot bottle
ror charge commercial rates for-whffs of
summers that have been, contracted into
| few days and gone before we can analyZe
| them to say, this is balsam. or that is
| balm" 1t is a draught for the gods.
| The subject of Indian summer was in
| vestigated as long ago as 1885, when DR..
| Lyman Foot of the United States army in
his report says that the Indians gave the
season it's name by calling it their fall
| summer" which occurred in November.
| The doctor was stationed at Fort Winneba-
CO. Missouri territory, at the time, and
wrote from observation. He says:
| I'VE arrived at this post the Sd day of
last November. We had three weeks of
| Indian summer with all the peculiar red
| ness of the sky in great perfection" He
| adds that he had long observed the season
| with curious attention, and calls for
| expression of opinion on the subject from
| other observers.
Prof. Willet advanced the theory in a re-
| port made to the government in 1867 that
| the dry fog is real smoke not produced by
prairie fires, but the product of chimneys
| The late Prof. Henry of the Smithsonian In
| stitution reported that portion of the haze
| filtered. was found to contain the lava of
volcanoes and fragments of burned vege-
tables Neither of these distinguished
scientists added anything to the literature
| of our Indian summer; so when doctors dis
1 tS not aNn nA thnt f,Ylfr oh
servers will be able to formulate any ten
| able theory of its cause. The next best
| thing Is to enjoy its opportunities, leaving
| its origin to the unknown 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 occasion is
more delicious, the haze more poetic. and
| the winds more dangerous in their passive
| acquiesence 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 fiow
| The wind may alter twenty ways,
A tempest cannot blow.
1t may blow north, 1t still is warm,
Or south, it still is clear,
Or east, it smells like clover farm
Or west, no thunder fear"
Hawthorne in speaking of this period
| said: "A glorious day-bright, warm, yet
with an unspeakable gentleness both in it's
| warmth and brightness. On such days 1t is
impossible not To love nature, for she evil
| IDENTIFY loves us. At other seasons she does
| not give this impression, but in these happy
autumnal days, when she has perfected the
harvests, life overfiows with blessed SUI
perfiuity of love"
| The caprice of the season is to wait until
winter is almost upon us, then to drop I'M
expectedIy like a benediction with sunshine
and warmth, and a restfulness that soothes
and comforts her fractions children, and
whisper to them sweet promises of heaven
| ly death.
An Ancient Novel.
From, the Contemporary Review.