The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-18
AS WE PASS ALONG.

with the great parade of the October
pageant comes the close of one lovely chap
Ter OF summer life, in the passing Of the
porch. The steady evolution
inc Forch OF the American porch, un-
In Exit. der the various names of
piazza, portico, veranda,
gallery or colonnade, has been a matter to
inspire general admiration; and, in the study
OF the porch, as pursued by the wayfarer,
on loot or on wheels. there is much to note.
Architecturally, city porches offer wonder
1uiiy pleasing variety; no two precisely
alike, are to be found in a days march In
the long and decorative procession of Indian
apolis porches are seen front porches, side
porches. corner porches, porches hung on
and porches set in, oblong porches all
around the house, square porches, three
quarter porches. double tenement porches.
lower tron-railed porches and two-story
porches, porches without railing. porches
with stone floors, colonial verandas and
Venetian balconies. New England porches
and Louisiana galleries All these porches
have manifest character. too: they are light
and frivolous, or deep-browed and ponder
Gus; frank and cordial, or stiff and conven-
tional
Iegu-
lated by taste and purse-the former more
enectlve than the latter-the range of ex-
hlolt goes equally far. Here is the coy,
oid-time, everyday porch, with its hit or
miss collection of old house chairs, gaily
painted and Hospitality grouped behind an
unpretentious screen of commonplace old
morning glory vines. Not distant, mayhap,
hourishes the most artistic thing in porches
willow green wicker tables and easy
chairs, wicker settee swung on brass
chains, with all possible luxury in rich
rugs and Oriental silk cushions Between
and beyond. file to the front all the other
porches-a rainbow ribbon Of color; porches
done In blue, red porches, brown porches,
drab porches. pink porches and even white
porches, with their bright world of avn
ings, hammocks and benches, clematis vines
and hanging baskets, porch boxes of bloom
Ing flowers and stately porcelain jardineres
of palms and ferns. An occasional bamboo
furnished porch is in evidence; and the do
mestic heart string Is pleasantly vibrated
by simple dull brown porch, showing
two old hickory arm chairs, with a tiny
hickory chair between Only yesterday,
along the broad highways of porch life, sat
pretty women and otherwise, In bright
summer gowns, with fitting butterfly chill
dren about them, and stolid pug dogs on the
outskirts. Here alert men read their morn
ing papers and smoked the evening pipe of
peace and consolation. Porch life, along the
by-ways. is simple but not less of vital in
terest. Flowers and vines bedeck the palmer
porches, where elderly men and women still
bask in the sun on warm days-the old wife,
mayhap, mending the old mans rough
coat. Other pretty porch pictures will soon
have passed on; women knitting, girls and
lads at study. little folk reading, with home
ly old cats curled UP on the railing In the
sun. Soon Jack Frost changes all; the chairs
and benches vanish or take on devout learn
Ing postures. while vivid city home life
withdraws to the hearthstone under the
evening lamp.