Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-29
SOME GRAssHoPpnR PEOPLE

SOME GRASSHOPPER PEOPLE
on this particular Thanksgiving
1t is eminently proper to recall
the old story OF the "Arkansaw Trav-
eler," who asked his host why he did not
repair his leaking roof.
"w-a-a-1," said the Arkansan, "its
this away. stranger. You see, when It's
rainn' we can't go out and mend IT.,
and when les not rainin' Il don't need
mendin'" 4"
Thousands Of you who have settled
in Los Angeles during the past year
have been considerably disgruntled and
upset by the unexpected cold
snap Of the past week. You knew we
had crisp cool weather in the rainy
season. You were told in every PAM
phlet and circular issued by the cham
ber Of commerce that It was needful
that you bring along all your warm
clothing, underwear, overcoats and
gloves. Why? Because the weather in
the rainy season is chillier than In the
dry.
Well, the summer was beautiful,
wasn't It? You had glorious sunshine.
perpetual peace and comfort for seven
straight months. You enjoyed it all
beyond description. You reveled in the
flowers and birds and trees and the
everlasting green of the foliage.
Forgot about the cold weather, didn't
you? Sang all summer long, like a
grasshopper, and thought 1t would last
forever, didn't you?
Honest, now, how many times during
the last seven months has your good
wife reminded you to order a sack of
coal or half cord of wood? You won't
answer out loud of course, but she
knows the exact number of times. Didn't
pay any attention to her, did you? Just
worked and sang and drank in the
whole glorious summer, as the grass
hopper does.
But one day the splendid rain came;
blew in from the sea to lay the dust
and yellow the golden oranges. Snow
piled up on the mountains three feet
deep, and you could see it up there,
glittering in the sunlight. Looked beau
tiful and reminded you Of the old
home back east" Unfortunately 1t
didn't remind you Of that sack of coal
or half cord of wood.
And then, on another day, the wind
veered and came sweeping down the
grand canyons off the beautiful snow
capped mountains and the rain fell
again, and while the roses still bios
somed in your front yard the chills
crept up and down your spinal column.
Then what? Why. you hurried off to
the coal man and the wood man-25, 900
of you at the very least. And the coal
man and the wood man threw up his
hands and said: I'm sold out long
since. Why didn't you come here three
months ago?"
After that you rushed off and bought
a gas heater and went home and salved
your conscience. But just as soon as
the $4,000 or $4,000 or more of you
doubled your demands for gas in a
single day it was more than any gas
company could successfully meet and
the big generators broke down.
Then you felt the keen winds from
off the snow-capped mountains sure
enough.
And what did you do then? Be hon.
est, now. You "cussed' the climate
didn't you? Oh, yes, you're sorry
enough today, as you sit in the recov-
cred warmth and again gather the
roses. But you said ugly words about
the finest climate on earth. And then
you swore at the wood man and the
coal man and heaped torrents of wordy
abuse on the gas company, which had
broken down it's generators trying to
help you out.
On this Thanksgiving morning con-
slider these things calmly now and &C
knowledge all to yourselves that you
can put your finger on the man who is
to blame for your temporary discom-
fort of several days ago. Think of the
deep SHOWS back east, the terrific bliz-
yards that are sweeping the country
the intense cold that will grow worse
in the east as the season advances
and then thank God you live in a coun.
try where a little sack of coal or hall
a cord of wood will keep you comfort
able amid the few days of rare colo
weather that only makes the grass
grow greener and the roses little
redder and more beautiful than before
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