The Washington herald., 1908-08-02
SOME OF THE TRIALS
OF Chicago Cabin DweIIer when
Summer Rain Fell

Summer Rain Fell
From the Chicago Post
Last night in rained- At O'Clock great
slate coIoTed clouds swept Up from the
west with strange Iurid copperish lights
in their depth and with ragged. flying
edges. A silence fell upon the land. and
the lake OF a sudden became deadly calm
Then with bending Of branches. with
the little poplar staring white against the
blue gray blackishness Of the storm. came
the rain
A penetrating odor Of damp freshness
rose from the earth and stole into the dim
cottage. sat in the basket chair Just
inside my door. lnhaiing the grateful cool
ness Of # and holding my hands out into
the faint moisture dashed from the drops
upon the floor. A quietness came upon
my spirit AID remembered.
II is Al such moments that memory
comes and a pensive sadness Of regret
steals out from the secret recesses OF the
heart and walks with one in rctrospec-
ton Strange the aching JOY OF sad rec
objections. strange the fire that flames
anew al such hours as this
Perhaps Il Is the subtle odor Of warm.
rain-wet herbs. perhaps IT is 1he melan-
choly Of the rain on the world-old earth.
know not what it IS but ever at scent
Of the summer rain al dusk there comes
the poignant passion Of the past 10 live
its little hour within the heart
Faces we had thought never 20 forget
eyes whose fires We sw0re would ever
fame for US. hands whose grasp we
thought would never lose their magic
power 20 stir us-they come at sound of
the rhythmic rain and We marvel at the
irouic beauty of life's gic show.
50 sat. lost in the dear gray wastes of
memory until darkness came and there
was no sound but the soft Insistence OF
the rain upon the roof. the splash OF q
against the pane. and the sweet rustic of
the trees
Then stole a little coIdness upon me
and I rose and wrapped the warm folds
OF an old coat about me and lay in the
shadow on the couch with the odor of
the Pine pillow next my cheek looking
with black eyes into the empty blackness
of the dark where fell the rain from out
the sky.
Such hours are not unhappy. They
have that which neither poetry nor music
nor color VIII ever quite say They sre
the mos intimate communion with that
{ strange ego which lives ever just beyond
/ the bordering consciousness Of daily
thought and action.
I was iuexpressi5ly c0sey there Will
/ the magic Of the rain upon the roof. What
countless images OF childish delight
I spranE forth. Images q old attic rooms
/ Of mysterious hair COVERED trunks. Of
packages Of yeliowed letters. 0f foolish
I JrinketS. dear 20 some unknown lover
I Did you ever sit close pressed TO the
duszy pane on such a night and read
through the fading ughJ some tale OF old
world love- DO you remember the won
q H En h.. Of aH Of
sudden life spraug full Of gorgeous vis-
ions 20 be dreamed. how for a radiant
moment living was become such swee-
I ecsraCy7
/ All. some day that tragedy Of great pas
/ sion might be yours. and SO. the bool
I forgot. yo- dreamed the twilight int,
dark. living the tale out IN your foolish
childish heart with eyes briufuI OF
Z tears-tears at the strange sad wonder o
il all One summers DAY perhaps yoi
tasted IT, for a feetinE moment yo1
3 glimpsed the transcendeut glory OF It 0vel
all the eartE-then some one spoke oi
laughed OF moved and the vision faded
but at this hour you remember 1t IN tn,
r fuIluess OF its beauty.
4 Interesting how the rain moves ever
! one 10 consciousness Of the eternal sad
ness OF things From neiEhbori1E. cot
I tage came the melancholy Wheeling OF Z
: EetQ organ some one Edl taken out
/ Treasury Of SonE'--one Of those p-ec
ious volumes brimful Of the heart throb,
. OF true passion The titles alone are suf
Z ficie1t 20 safe ones desire for melan
choly on such a night
There IS The Heart Bowed Down.
I Why Do Summer Roses FaGe2-- m,
Sweet Little Daisy Called Kate '-wheu
the Myrtle Loves TO Climb and Don
I Desert Your Mother When Her Hal
Z Turns Gray" and a lot Of other musinCl
about faded flowers and lovers bowers
Last night a group was voiciuE its dis
| consulate passion by singing that NOS
pathetic OF all the lachrynlose collection
Why Did They Dig Mas Grave $.
I Deep7"
I There IS nothing in all the ganut Of II,
sadder emotions 30 be compared with tn,
: haunting. irritating melancholy Of an i'm
mature female falsetto. and the falsetto.
| all walled in on the chorus
Why did they dig Mas grave 50 deep.
/ Down In the CAY dcep7
/ WAY did they leave ne here 20 weep
Why did they dig Mas gave 80 deep
II was too much; with a half strangles
gasping laugh I snatched my slouche,
nc nd rool- s-