INDIAN SUMMER NDIAN SUMMER" is the name given to "INDIA a short season of mild or warm weather late in autumn. It is characterized by an almost cloudless sky and by a smoky or hazy appearance of the atmosphere, especially near the horizon. This is the season of falling leaves, prevailing dryness, forest fires, and prairie fires, and doubtless the dust and the smoke add to the intensity of the Indian Summer haze. The name "Indian Summer" as at present used is of obscure American origin, and is not found in books or manuscripts until the year 1794. This period of pleasant fall weather commonly occurs late in October or during the month of November. Precisely similar weather occurs in Germany, where it is known as the "Old Woman's Summer." In England, the period is called "St. Martin's Summer," St. Martin's Day being November the eleventh. If it occurs in October, the period is called "St. Luke's Summer" or "The Little Summer of St. Luke." In the following poem, the poet has, in a most charming manner, caught the mood and meaning of the Indian Summer, with its "mild airs and "tempered light." He speaks of this period as "the year's last loveliest smile," which comes to fill the heart with strength to bear the fierce winter blasts which follow. INDIAN SUMMER That soft autumnal time Is come, which sheds upon the naked scene Charms only known in this our northern clime; Bright seasons far between. The woodland foliage now Is gathered by the wild November blast; The mighty vines, that round The forest trunks their slender branches bind, Some living green remains By the clear brook that shines along the lawn; But the sear grass stands white along the plains, And the bright flowers are gone. But these, these, are thy charms: Mild airs and tempered light upon the lea; The golden moon is thine Soft, golden, noiseless as the dead of night; The year's last loveliest smile Thou comest to fill with hope the human heart, And strengthen it to bear the storms awhile, Till winter days depart. O'er the wide plains that lie A desolate scene, the fires of autumn spread, Far in a sheltered nook I've met, in these calm days, a smiling flower, At quiet noontide's hour. And something told my mind That, should old age to childhood bring me back, Some sunny days and flowers I still might find Along life's weary track. John Howard Bryant. NOTES 1. The most complete information yet published concerning the Indian Summer may be found in the Monthly Weather Review, volume xxx, pp. 19-29 and 69–79 (Washington, 1902). 2. Describe the Indian Summer as you have known it. What especially do you remember of the Indian Summer? 3. Look up other poems of autumn. 4. Sear. Spelled commonly sere. 5. Be prepared to explain fully the meanings of the following words and expressions: autumnal, naked scene, crimson foliage, living green, sear, tempered light, lea, hues, flushed horizon, desolate, ruddy brightness, sheltered nook. EXERCISES 1. What is the Indian Summer? 2. Why is it called "The soft autumnal time"? 3. What picture is given us of the forest at this time? 4. What striking contrast in stanza 4? 5. What are the special charms of the "Indian Summer"? 6. Why does the poet speak of the "Indian Summer" as "the year's last loveliest smile"? What purpose does it serve? 7. What beautiful picture is given us in the eighth stanza? 8. Why is the lonely aster spoken of as trembling by the brook? 9. What was the "something" that told the poet the message? 10. Just what message did the author get from this experience? 11. What is the message of the Indian Summer as interpreted in this poem? ADDITIONAL READINGS WHITTIER: The Huskers, Indian Summer. HELEN HUNT JACKSON: October. SAMUEL MINTURN PECK: Autumn's Mirth. JOHN KEATS: Autumn. DINAH CRAIK MULOCK: October. RICHARD KENDALL MUNKITTRICK: Autumn Haze. EUDORA S. BUMSTEAD: Indian Summer. SARAH HELEN WHITMAN: A Still Day in Autumn, A Day of the Indian Summer. JONES VERY: October. WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT: The Death of the Flowers, To the Fringed Gentian. ALICE CARY: Faded Leaves. ETHEL LYNN BEERS: A November Good-Night. J. HAZARD HARTZELL: Autumn is Ended. TABB: Indian Summer. RILEY: When the Frost is on the Punkin. STODDARD: November. CLEAVELAND: November. IN WHITEWASHING THE FENCE N the following extract from Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer," Tom is in real trouble. He wants most of all to go swimming with the boys, but he must whitewash the front fence "thirty yards of board fence nine feet high," because he has offended his sole guardian, Aunt Polly. At first Tom fears the ridicule of the boys, and even gets out his toys, marbles, and trash, but this he knows will not buy off the boys. Finally a great inspiration comes to him. How this inspiration helped him to get the fence whitewashed is here told: WHITEWASHING THE FENCE He took up the brush and went tranquilly to work. One of the boys, Ben Rogers, came by with a hop-skip-and-jump, eating a large red apple, and giving a long, melodious whoop, at intervals, followed by a deep-toned ding-dong-dong, ding-dongdong, for he was imitating a steamboat. Tom went on whitewashing — paid no attention to the steamboat. Ben stared a moment, and then said: "Hiyi! you're a stump, ain't you?" No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist: then he gave his brush another |