Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1921-06-02
THE CALM OF KANSAS

A great many things have been
written about Kansas Only a few
of them, however, show a real actual
convincing knowledge of the state
We have read the following from B. J.
Sheridan, in the Paola Spirit with |
such interest in its accuracy and such
appreciation of its word painting that
we are passing it on
.sThe fourth Wednesday of April
1921, was to Paola an atmospheric |
composite that the Lord mixes only
for them that he chasteneth and low
eth The morning sun kissed the
green lawns, waking the dandeions,
and touching the faded cherry bios
SONS half back to glory, as hlmy
clouds of many figure and form lott
cred in the azure pathway of the
western horizon, like bevies of chill
dren, vending their willing pace to
school, and the soft south wind waited
wild birds songs through open doors
of shops and dwellings, while house
wives hung out winter garments for
final thrust at moths 1t was eight
O'Clock, with coats off for comfort
and deep breathing Lazy spring was
here By eight-thirty change came
gently, but kept a coming, and the
hazy forms in the west were not
lettering in airy gardens; they had
vanished, and in their places were
giants moving between black boui-
ders, and jagged peaks, as If in battle,
and runablings came that We're taken
for the noise of loaded trains carry
ing freight burdens, but the low roar
grew loader, loud enough to hush the
birds and close the doors At ten
dark clouds shut out the sun, casting
deep shadows that called for the turn
ing on of lights in stores and homes,
and the soft breeze hardened, as 1T
swung to the northwest, taking on
the snappy chorus of a storm, until
the supposed rumble of the passing
trains became thunder itself, and
heavy drops came splashing down,
while the wind picked up whatever
| was loose of dead laves and dust,
moving things generally as it clipped
along at forty miles an hour. Soon 1T
was eleven; the temperature had
| dropped from warm to cold; coats
were back on, and stoves lighted
The boys in this print shop even set
! the furnace agoing. Then, came high
| noon, with a clear canopy, the sun
| caressing the vanishing clouds, and
/ the earth smiling back through its
| tears.
/ over, a n0aVy, gray DdIIfA
/ had moved up from the north, far
| above the tree tops of the old high
school hill, and, by two, there was
tightening, followed by the sure
enough thunder that keeps the family
| away from the telephone; the Their
mometer, at 65 in the morning, had
dropped to SO; the horizontal bent of
| the tmosphere had taken on that an
gular, up-to-down movement that
| suggests cellars as an abiding place,
| and a guly-washer, cold as the be-
| ginning of lent, fell in sheets and COL
| umns for thirty minutes, flooding gar
dens and parks Again, however,
came smile from above as the gray
green pail parted into broken arches,
for the suns messengers of warmth
| and cheer Men, women and children
fgot out to gossip, and note the rapid
changes of weather. Then 10, an
other frown gathered, in the north
| east, quickly spreading its angry
| lines westward to the south, and on
came the novel furry of the day, hail
and snow combined. Four O'Clock and
the storm king had pitched another
| charge of the elements; loose things,
| larger than leaves, were shifting
recklessly, knocking, here a window
pane and yonder swinging sign By
| five, light hail was pelting walls at
an angle of forty degrees, to become
| more dense, until stones big as
| marbles ratified down; but they were
not hard-on1y an icy covering of
| wadded flakes of snow, which melted
/ in a minute, ice dissolved in a
i spring shower, free from wind, fall
ing straight down. At five thirty,
the west put its sky par1or in order,
as if for an evening reception, and
by six the reddening bastions of va
pory forts and turrets had all fallen,
so, the self same sun beamed the self
same life of a million years, and there
shone forth a creation of beauty and
peace in the heavens, unheralded, un-
yelled, unmatched-the calm that fol
lows every storm of every sort IL
| Kansas"