New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-16
COMMENT

Everybody speaks Of the summer time
pleasantly. but always quite seriousy-as
seriously as Of any other season. No one
seems TO see the comedy there is in 1t. The
striking contrasts it presents seem to pass
for the most part unnouced, while the
rather whimsical effect it has on our dis
positions and tastes is accepted with curl
Gus gravity.
The actor, whose instincts have led MN
10 tramp the streets Of cities Tor pass
through them I'm taXis. however luck Wouid
have it,, and bloom exotically in the not
house Of the theatre all the season long, no
sooner smells the warm breezes OF summer
than he begins 70 talk strangely about Nat
ure. writing her with a capital. acting III d
maudlin manner over a daisy or butter
cup. and murmuring complicated things
about, say. a blade of grass.
ooh, l love the country" he signs before
his mirror I'm the close, perfumed air Of his
theatre dressing room. And the first thing
you know he has bought him a farm for
July and August and starts TO raising
chickens.
Farmers, on the other hand, having spent
the long winter happily comatose on their
snowed-in acres, begin to stifie along
toward June and talk about wanting to get
out OF their country confinement and so TO
the city where they can see Life (here
again a capital. Many of them think OF
going on the stage. but they do not go at
the theatre business with the verve and
confidence with which actors go al the
farm Farming is, of course. something
that any one can do. whereas acting --!
All during the summer we are charmed
with the happy pictures that are frequent
" shown us of our leading stage favorites
surrounded by the simple things they love
in July and August. A celebrated comedian
is pictured with an arm around the neck
OF his pet COW. The dainty little musical
comedy star stands smilingly in the barn
yard, surrounded by her chickens. of which
she is so proud. The photograph, Of
course, does not show that through her
care in shooing the Orpingtons into the
COOP with the Plymouth Rocks some weeks
ago these same little new blooded chicks
have the distinction of having five toes on
one foot and four on the other
Some of the actor farmers raise pigs,
some vegetables and others dogs. Few 90
in for peacocks or anything so unnatural
and merely poetic It is the simple, close
tO-tne-ErOQn0 tilDSS lleN crave i4lilAN4'
feelings must be expressed in ones belong
ings, and pig naturally, IS more priml-
tive than peacock.
Summer, of course, does not confne her
attentions TO actors and farmers she
waves her satiric wand over them gently
and whimsically. in comparison to the way
she waves II over those who are chained
I'm cities all summer. To hear an actor
farmer talk 10 his favorlte rooster is, after
all nothing TO the strain of listening to the
city-chained talk to a sunset, or watching
him pet a tree in the park or sit luxurious
" on a blade of Madison Square grass and,
living on his back for a daring minute, look
up dreamingly through the trees.
Curiously enough, every one seems 20
become quite normal again by September
l, and then the idle-minded can wonder
what becomes of the lowing herds, the
trusting occupants of chicken yard and pig
pen that have been the happy recipients or
love untold during those strange months Of
summer