Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-11-10
THE FIFTH" SEASON OF THE
YEAR.

"flfth season" of tho yoar, 10 Just be-
ginning 10 make Itself apparent IN
Oklahoma, II Is that soft, after
summer period when all nature 10 al
peace, her one element with the 9TH
er, aud characterized by an intense
bluing of the skies overhead. and by
the smoko-haEy appearance AS the
horizon is neared, permitting the eye
TO behold the setting OF the sun with
out blinking, as Well as to look him
IN the face as he peeps up over the
eastern bow OF the earth, dressed IN
his fiery robe,
Long has Indian Summer been
known throughout America AS tho
NTH season" spring summer and
winter have their charms unchal-
leuged What more do eyes cher sh
than the pictures Of nature which
abound when the orchards burst into
tlnts that outwit the pencil OF the
painter when the livid green OF the
woods and the carpet Of the ground
are sweetest IN their freshness? What
more could eyes wish 90 see than the
undulaung roll Of grain-topped fields,
yellow In their glory OF ripeness? or
the ears 20 hear more than the hum
of the sickles as the grass and the
grain fan before them? Then in the
fall when again the fields are plowed,
and the wagons creak under the
loads OF yellow corn; when an al
most audible cry for relief comes
from the apple trees; when the cribs
and the mows are bulging--a picture
OF righteousness and contentment!
And when the winter comes! Who is
he, who, having seen a blanket OF
snow, has not maryeled at the usher
ing IN OF the season OF rest for the
world outside, or who has not felt
himself the better FOR having heard
the Sleigh bells ring out in crystal
line delight upon the frosty air OF
winters evening?
Yet none Of these seem to 2artake
OF that delightful glow which comes
with that more delicious part of the
year known as Indian Summer. Then
1t is that the colors in the woods run
riot and vie with each other in
spirit Of rivalry Neither history nor
tradition hold dates as to the first
application Of Indian Summer to the
sky-pretty time of autumn, but GER
tain 1t is that II was first used after
the explorers OF America became ac-
qualnted with the custom of the
American Indian relative 10 this per-
iod. 1t was noted by the forefathers
that there was usually n time in
autumn when the winds grew silent,
the nights colder, and the sun of day
less piercing. During this time the
Indian piled the chase more vigorous
ly than at any other season of the
year. garnered his woodland maize,
and stocked his wigwam with the
bounteousness of nature. 1t was the
Indians harvest time, the Indians
summer; hence the name.
But the skies of blue at the zenith,
and skies of misty haze far down the
horizon, are not the only signs which
so aptly depict the approach of the
flll-in season. Where the frosts have
already come, It is a time of falling
nuts as they leave their Drowned and
opened hulls, The acorns of the oaks
rattle down upon few fallen leaves,
that rustic to the eddying gust and
TO the rabbits tread" The sumac's
leaves are fire, with it's clustering
berries plunged deeper in the
autumnal dye. The berries of the
black haw trees soften and turn from
livid green to vanished black. as
though cast into a pot of deepest lac
quer The long leaves of the pawpaw
bush assume a Jaundiced cast. and its
fruit grows spotted here and there
as 1t oolors with the leaves. High
up in the tops OF stately sycamores
and elms the nicely shapen leaves Of
the grapevine turn to brown, and the
skin OF It's berries bursts from the
pent-up lusciousness OF the purple
pulp-food for the raccoon and the
'opossum. and the moon OF midnight
finds them natural Epicureans hun
dred feet from earth. And the long,
lanky hound. with slltted ears and
tawny coat. growing heavier grows
restless as the night dews settle down.