The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

Philosophers have long warned us against the fickleness of spring. "one swallow" asserted Aristotle. "does not make spring. nor yet one fine day" He might have added, nor a fine week." 50 does this incorrigible season habitually 6eceive. But at last the situation seems assured. Spring is in the air of High land avenue as well as up on Red noun tain. Now that Lent is nearly over 1t is the duty of every man, woman. boy and girl to cheer up and to cheer others up. Easter is the time of year for being young. It pleases me to observe that the lgouthfulness of the young Is proof against fhe gloom of all the scribes. Everything else may be going to the dogs; every body else may be in tho dumps but youth, thank goodness. Is still hilariously. bois- terously and robustiously young.
 Every year at this time group of young lovers furnish their homes just outside my window. and I have been booking for their return though the per leistent showers and occasional high winds have made them a bit timid. Last year there were four. and their names were Romeo and Juliet, Paolo and Francesca. ior at least so we called them. They were dirty little, English sparrows, but bt was not their fault that their feathers were grinny and grubby. Their eyes were bright their hearts were light and their conversation gay. They discovered that b corner of the overhanging caves makes R cosy house and they furnished 1t not pn the hire system, but took their furnl- lure wherever they found 1t and made 8 fuss over every stick they carried home. Yesterday bird flew hastily away when Ahe screen was raised for moment. un- Iioubtedly this was one. of@the usual tribe. househunting ikea lot 'of'folks this spring weather and in a day or two the families will begin to move in.
 There are other young things. too. that have the Easter feeling in their blood. Signs in the streets prove that spring Is playing her tricks on other creatures as well. The girls are wearing spring hats and spring gowns and spring shoes and spring stockings. They have come put of their winter plunage and are doing their best to make the crocuses look pale and the lilies paalid. Some are exceed 1ngly jaunty in gay checked coats to (which 0 collar in some audacious hue Is added, or in a violently tinted hat. And. in truth, 1t gives a charm after the gray
 
 green resolve itself into some joyous young girl in a gownrthe color of a spring lawn. It's almost soothing to feast ones eyes on the blouse that blinds or the skirt that scorches. Why should we peave all the blazing tnsolence to nature? 1t is altogether appropriate to have a splendid flare-up at lEastertime.
 Have you noticed how'the bee of mak- ing something grow is buzzing around persistently in everybody's bonnet? Half the women questioned as to the distribu- xion of their leisure hours during Lent have announced at, once, Digging in the nirtl" There are some lovely flower gar dens, and kitchen gardens, too, in Sir mingham, and much of their beauty is due to this Lenten period which brings with it what some one called "the time of garden daffness." One pretty young matron who dances like a sylph may owe her slender figure largely to her early spring activities in the garden. After a morning of persistent and fruitless eff forts to achieve an answer to telephone calls this week she was found at noon and stated that she had spent the morn Ing in her vegetable garden. and that her servants were with her. assisting in the various gardening rites, so there was no pne left to answer centrars ring. The rgerm'' in this case has affected the eff lire household, but most of all, the slen- der. pretty ma.tron who in proof of her skill can show you shelf after shelf of ranned tomatoes and Chilli sauce. aud relate also with great skill and facility the exact number of pecks of tomatoes plucked and consumed last year-that were the fruits of her gardening and do- mestio handiwork.
 This gardening mania affects various people in various ways. There is the