The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-03-23
THE INDIAN SUMMER.
WHEN IT COMES AND WHAT IS RE-
sPoNsIsLE FOR 1T.

In Their Views Upon the subiect-How
the Season Was Given 1t. Narne-Is tho
Hare Caused by Smoke?
There is great difference Of ouinion
among those who are wise in weather
lore as to the exact time when Indian
summer makes its Appearance some
weather prophets declaring that it in
cludes every warm day between Mi
chaelmas day, the Goth Of Septenbcr.
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 ls,ientific 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
not come in October or November it
will come in winter. as if it were n sort
OF movable season. Neither do scientists
agree as to the cause Of that hazy at
mosphere which accompanies the season,
a 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 tho
name, Indian summer" But it is
now said by scientific investigators that
the appearance of smoke is an optical
illusion produced by peculiar condi-
tion of the air, which might be compar-
! o6 70 FOO toll r<- I,1
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
J in lazy, languorous mood, and tho pic
} 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 mirage, the Indian summer
does not wait to be investigated. 1t is
here-it is gona-before the would be
3 investigator was aware of its presence.
1t is such a 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 atmos-
phere and redden the sun. 1t is also
!, charged to vegetable matter, but these
u | tol. .,o%
> been proved.
q Another token by which this genial
, Indian summer makes itself known is
e the absolute silence of nature herself,
}, as if she were taking a vacation from
r winds that blow and clouds that shade.
There is such a stiffness in the air from
: sunrise to sunset that sound itself seems
4 to have gone asleep. But there is no
e loneliness in the silence. 1t is only IS if
70 everything were resting. bathed in tho
% happy sunshine. The flowers are gone;
l. the singing birds have flown to their
s. southern chimes; the leaves have drop
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
It presence. There is tonic in the air she
N brings which chemists cannot bottle nor
Of charge commercial rates for -whifs OF
Of summers that have been contracted into
N a few days and gono before we can an
OF alyze them to say, This is balsam, OF
20 that is BALM" 1t is draft for the gods.
r. The subject of Indian summer was
n investigated as long ago as 1885, when
m DIR. Lyman Foot of the United States
ne army in his report says that the indians
IS gave the season its name by calling It
~ their "fall summer" which occurred
= : in November. The doctor was stationed
A., at Fort Winnebago, Missouri territory,
in at the time and wrote from observation.
He says:
n. 1--WE arrived at this post the Sd day
n Of last November. We had three week:
sr, of Indian summer, with all the peculiar
az redness of the sky in great perfection.
ee he adds that he had long observed tho
nj season with curious attention and calls
,es for an expression of opinion on the sub
of jeot from other observers.
ne Professor Willet advanced the theory
al in a report made TO the government II
he 1867 that the dry fog is real smoke, no
eir produced by prairie fires, but the prod
"a uct of chimneys. The late ProfeSso
ms Henry of the Smithsonian institution
be reported that portion of the haze, nj
op- tered, was found to contain the lava O
Ire volcanoes and fragments of burned veg
cir etables. Neither of these distinguished
scientists added anything to the htera
ture Of our Indian summer, so whel
Il. doctors disagree it is not expected tina
he ordinary observers will be able to Tor
ne. mulate any tenable theory of its cause
art The next best thing is to enjoy its op
OF portunities, leaving its origin TO the IN
ed known source whence it is derived.
IN IN New England is especially favored o
=. this after Summer guest. In that LAM
n, of rocks and rills the stiffness of the &C
lif casion is more delicious, the haze NOR
nv poetic and the winds more languorou
shs in their passive acquiescence In I'M
TO meditative mood of nature. Emerso
90 L .~Es - 4rr.1a