The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-04

After a torrid month a light shower Of
rain came in the night; it seemed the very
ghost of April, passing with light, cool,
silver feet, weary people arose from their
beds and leaned from the windows TO hail
its welcome breath of fragrance. With the
golden dawn of the last July day, a refresh
ing breeze challenges nature TO a hoyden,
late summer gambol; the scorched and
dusty treetops toss and wave with revived
Observation-Disclosures vines fling their enliv-
ened tendrils in and out of the fence-cOr-
ners, and the long grass along the lanes
sways and bends 10 indicate the swift pace
il would take if it could only once he let
foot-loose. Through the little winding path
from the street-car station the ground is
baked hard by the July sun and swept
clean by the rain: all around are young
oaks-a foot high only-wearlng an absurd
air of infantile m~ajesty-while the green
cut-brier riots among them and over them
with a conscious expression of only tenn
porary superiority.
Billowing away over towards the pale
purple hills is a great corn-field, with a
strong old rail fence around it-a fence in
whose corners twigs have grown to be
trees; the corn holds its strong stalks,
clean blades and fresh, shining tassels to-
wards the sky as if the small item Of TWEEN
ty-eight days drought had not yet been
taken as a personal matter; its large husk-
wrapped, brown Substituted ears calmly and
confidently pushing on toward their har-
vest. Outside of the fence, in fun and
graceful masses, the Queens lace hand
kerchief' is spread; its beautiful white
fairy blossoms and dainty green seed
chalices held up worshinfully to sun and
air. Fine old tansy, oo-good TO smell and
bad for moths and fre~ckles-stands boldly
in the foreground, in glorious profusion OF
sturdy yellow bloom and fernlike foliage.
Hidden in the deep grass and weeds,
myriads of smaller blossoms have taken on
the feathery silver garments or botanical
Immortality; downy seed-vessels Of every
size detach from the parent stem and
launch themselves happily and fearlessly
on the summer breeze.
1t is the butterfy's carnival season, too;
and many an exciting aerial race. no doubt,
takes place between these fragile fitting
couriers Of ummer and the l~ightly-wafted
thistle down. Milkweed is not yet entered
for the competition; but it's plump. fun
pods are industriously looking forward 10
their sky-bent opening day. Grasshoppers Of
| every age and size-in flight not bad imita-
tons of the gauze-winged dragon hy-are
now kicking joyfully-apparentiy head over
h~eels-from roadside 10 roadside; and the
| greedy, %grumbling humble bee is rioting. IN
companies of a round dozen, among the
violet-fringed disks Of the lovely passion
flower. Tomorrow. the song-bird's peni-
tential or restful tune OF silence begins:
and its burden OF mystery seems already
10 becloud to-day. Cardinal fits busily
across the lanes and flashes here and there
in the tree-tops; but his song is wanting;
somewhere beyond the ~hedge-eating sun
dried blackberries. perhaps-the white-eved
vireo still spurts his queer little staccato
melody on the air. and the meadow-lark
wings shyly across the helGs without a
single note Of vocal Along the
sunniest ~lane-high among the telephone
poles-a devoted pair Of red-headed wood
peckers dart and gamb0l; but the ban
of August silence is on them. too, with no
perceptible or depressing effect upon their
mid-air high spirits.
Already, in field and garden. has a curious
touch been laid; red clover has donned a
dull brown cap-where the scythe has
missed her-and six towering clover stacks
big oak tree. Larkspur is fast going 10
seed, and even old magenta petunia is not
so unpleasantly forward as she was a
month ago; sweet peas and nasturtiums
have passed away in the fiery furnace OF
July; and even the tall. tall sunfowers and
big wine-colored holly-hOcks show less or
c~Clor-they are taking in summer sails. Stfn
| glOriously beautiful in leaf is the heavy
woodbine arch over the little red gate 10
the cottage yard; but the vine is no LONGER
in blossom; While scarlet honey-suckle on
the porch posts is adorned with a wealth OF
coral berries. Yellow lilies have long ago
| retired TO inscrutable idleness: and even the
Haunting poppy shows a visible WEAKNESS
OF its hitherto glowing existence. Chrysan-
themums wear a conscious air OF being
ready 10 come forward; and an imDudent
bit OF golden-rod-on the verge OF bloom in
all the glow and glory OF summers rudeiy
| nipped in the act by the alert hand OF an
impatient observer.
But the majestic march OF Gays cannot be
held back; from the green, green hedge
only yesterday bursting into May-time.s
be2uteous leaf and blossom-to-day the
sassafras bush hangs out one lovely orange
tinted mitten-the gauntlet OF passing sum
mer-the reckoning insignia OF autumn.
EMMA CARLETON.
! New Albany, July 81.