The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
SPRINGTIME AND YOUTH.

Inc mowers on the nlllSlQe unIOIu no more
gladly, no more trustfully under the show
ers and sunshine of April than does the
heart of boyhood. They are emblems of each
other-youth and spring-and there is
knship between them, an ancient kinship,
which IL were necessary TO return to the
May-time of creation to trace. Springtime
is ever generous and true to the boy. To
him she sends her earliest greetings. to
him her promises are most lavish and to
him she keeps them, every one. Signs of the
approach of spring TO which men are blind,
tokens which the poet perceives not are re-
vealed to him. What is the first unfailing
harbinger of spring? Not the tickle blue
bird that comes flashing down the fence,
like an elusive bit of summer sky, nor the
rash, uncertain crocus struggling beneath
the snow. Poetic symbols of spring they
may be, but they prophesy nothing. But
the boy knows the old gray mare is in
spired. One crisp morning he gallops her
bareback up from the pasture and on dis
mounting, finds his trousers legs thickly
frosted with her silver hair. There is not
a bird in sight the landscape is dull and
barren, but he has visible proof that spring
is near. Do not imagine that nature denies
him her more subtle auguries, however. On
the contrary it is TO the boy that the sun
beams bear their earliest messages and the
south wind seeks him first of all. The twit-
ter of the pioneer robin is caught by his ear
and he notes the faint "quank'' of the flock
of wild geese, pursuing their northward
course across the unknown ocean of the
upper air.
When at last spring comes creeping up
the slopes of the valley. the boy goes forth
to meet her. and his heart leaps in unison
NTH bo .,Io Of
is artist beyond all bounds of art; a poet
above the trammel of words and, being
such. he is content to gaze upon the land
scape without Analysing it, and is satisfied
with the perfume of the commonest flower
and the notes of the humblest songster. 1t
is not simply the glimmer of reflected SUM-
shine that delights him, not the mere ex-
ternal beauty of the fields and the balm of
the gentle weather. These are but harmoni-
Gus incidents to the boy, for he communes
with the vernal spirit of the season he
knows the true inner essence-that wond-
rous beauty Of the heart Of things. and he
becomes an integral part of the landscape,
blooming with the flowers, whistling with
the birds and exulting with all nature. And
all the while he is as unconscious of this
relationship, as spontans Gus and unaccount-
able as are the birds. He finds a thrush's
nest and robs ii ruthlessly while the thrush
is away preying upon insect life. He losses
a careless clod at chattering jay, which.
In turn, proceeds to chase flock of HARM
less sparrows out of the woods. Perhaps
this very wantonness of boy and bird is the
secret of their exultaton and enchantment
Yet. while leaf and blossom but Incl
dents of the season TO the boy, he in the
| keenest of observers and no detail escapes
IL. H.
and. figuratively. pantheist. The billowy
verdure of the meadow impresses him. but
no more than the vast minutiae of under
life beneath it. Parting the grass, he be-
comes gigantic member of the colony of
ants. a fellow of the order of the grass
hoppers and a companion to the beetle and
the snail. Entering the cloister of the for
est. he is straightway a primeval druid
even TO the matter of grim sacrifices. He
| comes close to each phase of sylvan exist
| cree climbing deftly TO the upper haunts
of birds and squirrels. scraping beneath the
| leaves to find the hidden abode of mice of
| grubs and doodle bugs" The caterpillar
| and the slug on the messy side of tree
| trunks and the busy spider. oscilating be-
| tween two worlds, are familiar to him.
| Wherever he goes he discovers adequate
| expression of the seasons gladness. Even
| the domestic denizens of the barn-yard are
| found as vociferous in their joy their
| cousins OF the field. All day long the turkey
cock struts and gobbles in passion of
| proud delight, throwing back a bubbling,
half-challenging salute TO every sound he
hears. and when all else fails. replying to
| his own ridiculous echo in jeer after Jeer.
More sedately sentimental the chickens go
ambling here and there with meditative
| cluckings and croonings and occasional
! cackling outbursts of wonder at the warmth
! OF the sun and the plumpness OF worms.
| The male of their tribe frequently lifts his
voice in applause and is inclined to all
manner OF levity. shocking the nervous hens
into Mysteries by announcing make-believe
hawks. and creating general disgust by
calling them all to great feast and then
| laughingly eating every morsel himself.
| The boy sees it all and recognizes kindred
| spirits beneath down. and feathers. and ma
| ture back of all.
1t is only after spring has waxed into
summer and youth has waned into man