The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-26

DO INDIANAPOLITANs' SENSES HI
BERNATE IN WINTER.
An Inquiry Into the Conditions That
Made Yesterday Seem "the
First Day of Spring."

Though TX was not specially marked on
the calendar. yesterday had an individu-
ality. a vague character, not TO be desig-
mated by a specific phrase. but indirectly
indicated by remarks 10 be heard here and
there. These signs. which might coldly be
called psyco-physiological, varied according
70 the personalities which bore them. thus:
ITO the woods to-day for me. boy" CThis
man did not mean that he intended to seek
the companionship OF trees. but that he
would leave his ill-ventilated office, walk
on the edges OF asphalt streets. and breathe
dust along with a little fresh air.
This must be the first day Of spring.
Isn't ii beautiful and inspiring?" CThis
young woman would have added "Oh. JOY"
If she had been a classic heroine)
1t was plain that the man felt a spur.
and certainly there could be no doubt that
the young woman was moved by an un-
usual emotion. She made no further in
quiry than 10 conclude that it must be the
first day Of spring. which was erroneous.
These phenomena are observable about this
time every year, as any one that has an
inclination 10 look after such matters will
testify. The most credible cause seems 10
be that the senses hibernate. just as some
animals do: that in the winter an Indian
apolitan draws within himself and pays
about as much attention to things external
as does a bear that, curled in a hole, has
just enough feeling to move an inch or two
when it feels a draught from a cnlnk In
the earth.
If this be true, that a breath Of new,
springlike-one might say "green'-air calls
the senses Of the lndianapolitan from their
places of Information, the hypothesis must
be capable Of being demonstrated, as the
teacher Of physics says when he explains
TO the class why a stone falls TO the ground
after il mas been thrown into the air. Any
person willing to make this experiment at
the risk OF making himself ridiculous IN
his own eyes has need of very few direc-
tions on which TO work. If the analyst
habitually spends most OF his waking hours
in the business part Of the city he must
make his experiment In a residence
neighborhoOd as strange to him as he can
find. If the person lives most OF each day
in the residence district he must also Sc
lect a contrasting environment, preferably
a factory community. If the result be
that the smallest. the most commonplace
occurrences that are observed take on a.
unique hue, a fresh face. an indefinable
mysticism partly the effect Of reminis-
cence-then the theory is true that the day
now only designated as yesterday was
an epoch, the grounding day Of the senses.
A denizen of the asphalt walked yes
terday afternoon in a neighborhood where
the streets were of mud and the sidewalks
were of worn brick. the corners of which
did not lie snugly together. The houses
were of frame and were dingy in color.
The fronts yards were bare of grass and
only at rare intervals could be seen a rose
bush wrapped in straw and rags to save
it's life until spring. The series of phe-
nomena that this person witnessed was Of
the simplest sort.
A door opened and a large woman ap-
peared on the threshold. She wore a red
gown, and as she opened the door she put
a hand up and pulled the gown closely
together at the neck. A small boy was
standing on the opposite side Of the street,
and she called to him: Tommy, come
The boy trotted through the mud and
into the woman's yard. She put something
into his hand. spoke to him, retired into the
house and closed the door. The boy left
the yard, trotting again. and went to a
grocery a square and a half distant. Pres
emily he emerged, carrying under his arm
a loaf Of bread loosely wrapped in brown
paper. Returning to the woman door.
he knocked and she answered. Again she
held her hand against her gown at the
neck. She took the loaf of bread, spoke
to the boy and he turned away and walked
slowly TO the gate. He had arrived there,
when the door opened and the woman
called him back. With one arm she was
pressing the loaf of bread TO her breast
so that she could use both hands to tumble
in her purse. At last she drew out a coin
and gave il to the boy. No sooner had
she closed the door than the boy broke into
a run toward the grocery. AS he dashed
past the stranger the latter saw that he
had a penny clinched between his teeth.
The stranger was in front of the grocery
when the boy came out. His mouth was
so full that his cheeks were bullying.
xxx
Two affairs were in progress on a corner.
Two boys were playing a simpliied form Of
polo, shinny-on-your-own-side. old SOW or
whatever name is most informing. They
batted a ball along the sidewalk between
them. In a yard another boy was bossing
a flock Of little girls. He had a long cotton
string and at each end of it was a tin can.
The string led from tree to tree, around
the corner of a house and once across the
street. 1t seemed that the boy had bullied
the little girls into believing that he had
constructed "A telephone. They believed it,
Notwithstanding that when they attempted
to talk to each other they had to call out
loud enough TO hear without need OF an in
termediary.
one little girl was brave enough to say
that she did not think the telephone
talked The boy scOrnfully answered,
SHOW yer ignerance; show yer ignorance
Even as he crushed her thus the delivery
wagon of a feed store came along at a
rapid gait and the horse broke the tele-
phone line. The fellow on the seat of the
wagon laughed uproariously. The boy flew
into a rage, not at the deliveryman. but at
the little girl. wy didn't we bring the
telephone across the street when We seen
that wagon comin'?' he shouted. The lit
tie girl was abashed and frightened.
Before she could stammer an answer one
of the boys playing the elementary polo
game struck the ball unfairly and it few
over the fence and came into collision with
the telephone inventors head. He gave a
veil of pain, put both hands to his head
and ran screaming down the street toward
his home. His mother must have had a
telepathic message from him. for she opened
the door just as he touched the steps. The
door closing shut in all further noise Of his
anguish. The little girls were silent for a
minute and then began TO laugh.
1t would be consistent to call attention
to the new sound Of the motor cars gong.
the new odors issuing from the doors of
drug stores and groceries. the new life in
colors of clothing hung 10 dry on lines.
some huttering white against the gray
background of the houses; but the pleasure
10 be derived from these things is toe
elusive to be roughly described.
Sewer Must BE Repaired.
The Board Of Works will have to order
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