Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-04-23
Gentle Spring.

Ethereal mildness may prevail in
Florida or Southern California. but
overcoats and wraps were not uncom-
Portable for people outdoors yesterday.
and the artificial warmth indoors was
needed almost as badly as two months
ago. We had frosts and freezing
weather during the past week and the
outlook is not favorable for warm
weather yet. 1t was showing in
Michigan and along the lakes yeste,
day and the clouds had suspicious
look of squalls as they hung over the
mountains in this section yesterday
morning. East of the Mississippi the
temperatures are unseasonably low,
while it is slightly warmer west of
the Father of Waters. We had taste
of early Spring in March. Too early,
for we have paid dearly for the short
but glorious period since by harsher
conditions. In this latitude we do
not jump into Summer from the bliz-
yards and the ice of late Winter with
out payment in compensation. There
were cold days, cold weeks to be ex
pected. The promise of an early
Spring often fails at the moment when
we are lulled into confidence of final
escape from Winter. But we can await
with confidence the outcome, knowing
that from this time continues the
grand march of living nature, from
tender upsprlnging TO full LEAKAGE, to
fruitage, to harvest, and then again
to slumber. We have passed the point
of awakening all the aspirations, the
delights, the glories of the year of
nature lie before us for appreciation
and enjoyment if we are wise to take
them as they come-as they must
come-without trying to hurt their
sequence. 1t is not the first bluebird
that makes the Spring, nor the first
robin, nor the first lone hepatica
blooming i'll some secluded sun kissed
spot. We have these in abundance /;
they are only the strenuous forerun-
ners of the real Spring.
We have gone forward so far in the
procession of reawakened nature rs to
reach the first peach, plum and cherry
blossoms--though the two former came
to their destruction. From now on
we can enjoy the process of develop
ment of Flora's and Ceres bounties.
There is nothing more inspiring than
the elementary stir of the earth awak
eniug from Information. 1t moves the
blood. We draw longer breath OF
the air which carries the Spring
smell. The whistle of the early com
ing birds finds an echo in our hearts
The fragrance of the rare Spring flow
ers brings a thrill which the scent of
the hot house blossoms OF the past
Winter cannot evoke. We step from
artificiality into nature, and before us
we see the glorious realization of the
elementary instincts of humanity. To
| be sure, it comes every year, but II Is
none the less satisfactory because of
the repetition. The sequence of the
seasons will not lose its fascination
until human nature is metamorphosed
| So long as human life is what il is, so
long will nature in its infinite man
! ifestations and its eternal changes sup,
ply the inspiration and the compensa
! tion of effort and endurance.
While we may long for more genial
ity, the warmth of the sun, the blue
sky, the balmy breeze, it will come ere
long. Nature is balancing things
We are thankful for the green grass
the early flowers, the birds and the
| promise OF even better things, though
the air at this time is chill and ther,
! are suggestions Of snow