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Show THE INMAN SUMMER. WHEN IT COMES AND WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE RE-SPONSIBLE FOR IT. Scientists and pier Investigators Ulfhi In Their VleOa Upon the Subject How the Season Was Given Its Name Is the Haze Caused by Smoke? There is a great difference of opinion among those who nre wise in weather lore as to the exact time when Indian Bummer makes its appearance, some weather prophets declaring that it includes in-cludes every warm day between Michaelmas Mi-chaelmas day, the 29th of September, and Christmas, while others locate it in the month of October. Indeed, the opinions of scientists do not agree any better than those of ordinary individuals, individu-als, but seem to be as hazy as the season itself. After looking up much scientific data on the subject, and making a consensus of popular opinion, the fact seems established that this phenomenon of seasons really belongs to the month of November, although the signal service notes say that if Indian summer does not come in October or November it will come in winter, as if it were a sort of movable season. Neither do scientists agree as to the cause of that hazy atmosphere at-mosphere which accompanies the season, a condition peculiar to North America It was attributed by early settlers in this country to the smoke from prairie fires kindled by the Indians henoe the name, "Indian summer." But it is now said by scientific investigators that the appearance of smoke is an optical illusion produced by a peculiar condition condi-tion of the air, which might be compared compar-ed to a dry fog. Sentimentalists declare that it is this dreamy haze which gives its great charm to this short, delightful season, when the whole world of nature na-ture appears like a beautiful dream. It is the fifth season, the mellow ripeness of autumn, when creation stands still in a lazy, languorous mood, and the picture pic-ture is vanishing and indistinot like one of Corot's landscapes. It is the golden gold-en sunset of the year, brief and evanescent. evanes-cent. Like a mirage, the Indian summer does not wait to be investigated. It is here it is gone before the would be investigator was aware of its presence-It presence-It is such a restful, happy period that people are content to enjoy it without asking questions, yet there is much in its phenomena that is worth the most careful scientific investigation. ItTias been suggested that the dreamy haze which accompanies the season is composed com-posed of animal life of such a minuta form as to be incapable of microscopio examination, but of such innumerable quantities that they obscure the atmos phere and redden the sun. It is also charged to vegetable matter, but these are mere theories which have not yet beef proved. Another token by which this genial Indian summer makes itself known is the absolute silence of nature herself, as if sho were taking a vacation from winds that blow and clouds that shade. There is such a stillness in the air from sunrise to sunset that sound itself seems to have gone asleep. But there is no loneliness in the silence. It is only as if everything were resting, bathed in the happy sunshine. The flowers are gone; the singing birds have flown to their southern climes; the leaves have drop-pod drop-pod from the trees when the India Bummer oomes trailing her white veil to cover the desolation and filling all hearts with the tranquillity of her gracious presence. There is a tonio in the air she brings which chemists cannot bottle nor charge commercial rates for whiffs of summers that have been contracted into a few dayB and gone before we can analyze an-alyze them to say, "This is balsam, or chat is balm. " It is a draft for the gods. The subject of Indian summer was investigated as long 'ago as 1885, when Dr. Lyman Foot of the United States army in his report says that the Indians gave the season its name by calling it their "fall summer, " which occurred in November. The doctor was stationed t Fort Winnebago, Missouri territory, at the time and wrote from observation. He says: "We arrived at this post the 8dday of last November. We had three weeks of Indian summer, with all the peculiar redness of the sky in great perfection." He adds that ho had long observed the season with curious attention and calls for an expression of opinion on the subject sub-ject from other observers. Professor Willet advanced the theory tn a report made to the government ia 1867 that the dry fog is real smoke, not produced by prairie fires, but the prod' net of chimneys. The late Professor Henry of the Smithsonian institution reported that a portion of the haze, filtered, fil-tered, was found to contain the lava of volcanoes and fragments of burned vegetables. veg-etables. Neither of these distinguished scientists added anything to the literature litera-ture of our Indian summer, so when .-ioctors disagree it is not expected that ordinary observers will be able to formulate for-mulate any tenable theory of its cause. The next best thing is to enjoy its opportunities, op-portunities, leaving its origin to the unknown un-known source whence it is derived. New England is especially favored bj this after summer guest In that land of rocks and rills the stillness of the occasion oc-casion is more delicious, the haze more poetic and the winds more languorous in their passive aoquiesconce in this meditative mood of natnra Eraersor must have written of this period: "Twaa one ol the charmed days When the genius of God doth flow. The wind may alter twenty ways, A tempest cannot blow. It may blow north, it still ia warm. Or south, it Btill is clear, Or cast, it Knolls like a clover farm, Or west, no thunder fear. The caprico of the season is to wait until winter is almost upon us, then to drop unexpectedly like a benediction with sunshine and warmth and a rest-fulness rest-fulness that soothes and comforts he; I fractious children and whisper to them j sweet promises of heavenly death. Detroit Free Press. |