The Lamar register., 1914-11-04
NOVEMBER
NcAdGms,


by Numa Pampilius, who would have
been, had he lived in our time, much
such a character as DR.. Irl Hicks. He
was always interested in the weather,
and endeavored even so long ago as
before the Christian Era to reduce
this fascinating science to some sort
of order. He was the first person in
history to appreciate the relation of
the weather to humankind. Before
Numa it was customary to suppose
that the weather defied analysis. The
pcriodicity of the seasons had not
been particularly observed, and it
was not definitely established when
they began. He divided the year in
to four equal seasons, provided the
necessary solstices and equinoxes, and
very soon familiarized all the Romans
with what they might reasonably ex-
pect. Thus, when Caesar invaded
Gaul he was really enabled to divide
that country into the historic three
parts because his army was prepared
for all kinds Of weather. The enemy
had more troops than Caesar had but
the Roman had more weights of
clothing. People laughed at the Ro-
mans for laying stress upon this in
that early time. But Rome conquered
the world. We have seen some in
timation in the present great war that
Russia expects to win this winter by
reason of the superiority of her bear
skin coats. That does to laugh
about now, when the weather is soft;
but Caesar said very much the same
thing, and he made it good. You will
perhaps recall that celebrated line in
the commentaries of Caesar, "The
bravest of these were the Belgii, for
they fought all winter in their sum-
mer clothes"
War was the business Of Rome, and
Numa therefore determined when her
armies could operate to the greatest
advantage. He called this season No
vember, from the Latin nine, meaning
that an army could do about nine
times as much damage as it could at
any other season of the year. In No
vember the crops were ripe and the
cattle were fat. An army could live.
In November it was neither too hot
to march nor too cold to camp out
Everybody rose with the crisp breath
Of the frost in their nostrils, and a
man felt like jerking a bull off the
bridge. There was almost no mud in
which to mire, and the army was not
often bothered by rain. It was the
soldiers time of the year, and in that
blest season Rome cracked about ev-
erybody's head in the known world.
Our forbears in this country called
the season Indian Summer because it
was then that the Indians went on
the war path. 1t was primitive in
stinct. Scalps were a minor consid-
GRAFTON with the Indians. What they
wanted were pumpkins, turnips, cider,
chitlins, souse, cracklings and home
smoked hams. The whites defended
these stores with such vigor that the
Indians finally starved to the point
of having to be supported on reser-
vations. That is the history of In
dian summer. Don't let anybody tell
you it is so named because the leaves
are red. The pioneer cared nothing
about the leaves being red.
The festive calf will sniff the breeze
And show us all the new fox trot,
And Europe's soldiery will freeze
Without requiring to be shot.
The men will proudly strut about
With feathers in their new fall hats
The husky candidate will shout
His hollow warning to the fats,
The chilly doodlebugs will all
Inferno themselves before the blast
And one by one the leaves shall fall
As per the custom in the past.
Afar from Europe's bloody strife
the gentle Establishments of Fall will
gladden. everybOdy's life and deftl,
captivate us all. The farmer selling
wheat and corn to nations busy with
the sword will blithely blow his auto
horn and make additions to his hoard
If some keep peace while others fight
then some must buy what others sell
and sellers, too, reserve the right to