"indian Summer."

Tho origin of this phraso has llover boen so satisfactorily oxplained as in Dodridgo's " Indian Wars,1 a book published in 1824, at Wellsburg, Va. "VVo copy from pages 2(55, 26G : This expression, like othors, notwithstanding its original inlport has boon forgottcn. A backwoodsman soldom hears this expression without fceling a chili of horror, bccauso it brings to his mind the painful rocollection of its original application. Such is tho forco of the faoulty of association in human nature. The reader must horo bo reminded that during the long continund wars, sustained by the first settlurs of the Western country, they enjoyed no peaoe except in the winter seasou, when, owing to the severity of the weather, the Indians were uuable to makc their excursions into the settlements. The onsot of winter was, therefore, hailed as a jubilee by tho early inhabitants of the country, who, through' out the Bpring and early part of fall, had boon cooped U]) in their littlo uncomfortable forts, and subjected to all the distresses of the Indian war. At the approach of winter, theroforo, all the formara excopting the owncr of the fort removed to thcir cabins on their farms, with the joyful feolings of a tenant of a prison, oll reoovering his release trom confinoment. All was bustlc and hilarity in preparing for winter, by gathering ui the corn, digging potatoes, fattening iiogs, and repairing the cabins. To our forefathors, the gloomy months of Vinler rere more ploasant tlian the zophyrs of spring and the ttowers of Maj'. It however soroetinies happened, that af ter the apparent onset of winter tb e weather became warm, tho smoky timo eoinnienced, and lastcd for a oonsidorablfl nuniber of days. This was tho Indian tëummor, boctmsu it aiForded the Imliuns another opportUiiity (f visiting the settlements with their destruntive warfare. The meltiug of the snow saddened overy oountenanoe, and the general warmtli of the sun eRillril every hourt with horror. The apprehension of anothor visit from the Indiaas, and of buing driven back to thOjdütosted fort, was painful in thv highest degree and the distressing approhension was ircqueutly realizod. Toward the latter part of February, we commonly had a fine spell of opjn warm woather, daring whieh the snow toelted away. This was dcnoininatcd the " Pnwwawing days," from tho supposition that tho Indians wero then holding their war eouncils, for planning oiï their spring campaigus into the settlemonts. Sad experieneo taught us that in this conjecturo we wero not of ten mistaken.