October

flarper's Magajine. Some races seemtohavc been "measured" - to use a sartorieal oxprcssiou - for the climates Ihey oceupy. The people snit their climates, and are iii accord with thern. This is trueof Egypt, Italy, Franco, the Sandwicli Islands, as examples. We in America are a chance lot - it is said with all respect - coming from everywhere, and bringing or inlieriting a hundred different predilcetions about climate. We took our clitnate as we found it, without any reference to its adaptibility to us. Born with tliese hereditary prejudices, it happens that a large portion of the population ií more or less dissatisiied ; many alwaya loug for the sun and the easy-going ways of the tropics, while others pint for more northern rigor. It seems a pity that people in tlus small world canuot pass their brief lives in reg-ons congenial to them. However it comes about, theni is more grumbling about the weather in the United States than in anv other country on the globe except Bngland. And as our climate has immense general advantages over most nthers, the rcason of the dissatisfaction must bc inherent in our composite population. The Egyptians, the Italians - indeed most other peoples- even the Uermans. who have abundant occasion for mutiny, never rise inrebellion about their weather. It is so important with as that we had tomakcit a governmeut department, and invent a bureau for it. Hut whatever may be the general in-ubordinaüon and discontent in regard to most of the months - always excepting an affecüon for June - there is universal consent that Octobcr in the United States i.s just about right, and that ayear made up of Octobers would be a thing iit to be ineorporaled in uur Conslitution. The reasons for thepartiality to it are many and obvious. Süme like il because it is the month in jwliich they can get back tothe city from Jthe country. Others enjoy the tono of Igentle melancholy that pervades the [ciosing sceues of the year - a sort of 'sadness without personality, that is asl 'pleasing :is an y exoitement of joy. SomeJ lind in it aton'ic thatstimulates'tobrisk-H ness and business. But what esi)ecial-B y disÜBguishes the month witli us stlieB quality of the atmospliere. Tlic faultl ¦vith our scenery usually is tbat too nuch "outdoors,"" too unked. undoubtul, sharp, and photographic. Oni lazing sun and clear air do not, foi ;oiue reason, give us the same efl'ectt hat dry air and sunlight produces on he Nile. In October, with ripened vegstation, Buperb color of forests, and a icrtaln humidness in the atmosphere, vliichis not feit as dampnesa, the sk} akes a tender hue, the Belds a poetk light, the hills are but not con ;ealed. and we see nature through a quid medium that invests every view .vit'i the charm that nearly all the yeai round characterizes Southern Italy and Sicily. We never show our EJnelisl ousïn- who is in raptare with all Ik leholdn, and immensely enjoys Oui American Cousin on the stage- a land cape In any other month of the yeai without saying, '.'Yon ought to see thi in October?' ' We think that if every body conld seo the United States in Oc tober, the rest of the world would b( deserted. It is our show month. Nothing but our national modesty, and t recollection of the other months, preventa our bragging about it as it deserves.