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olation；　from　the　glaciers　of　the　Greenland　continent；　sweeping　round　the　coast；　leaving　wrecks　in　its　track；　it　marched　right　athwart　the　other　conflicting　winds；　churning　them　into　a　fury；　and　inaugurating　chaos。　It　was　the　Marat　of　the　elements。　　It　was　the　revolution　marching　into　the　〃　dreaded　wood　of　La　Sandraie。〃

Let　us　sum　it　all　up　in　one　word：　it　was　something　for　which　there　is　no　name。

Its　track　was　destruction。　　On　the　sea　it　leaves　wrecks。　　What　does　it　leave　on　land？　　Funerals。　　When　it　subsides；　New　England　is　prostrate。　　It　has　left　its　legacy：　this　legacy　is　coughs　and　patent　medicines。　　This　is　an　epic；　this　is　destiny。　　You　think　Providence　is　expelled　out　of　New　England？　　Listen！

Two　days　after　Euroclydon；　I　found　in　the　woods　the　hepatica　earliest　of　wildwood　flowers；　evidently　not　intimidated　by　the　wild　work　of　the　armies　trampling　over　New　Englanddaring　to　hold　up　its　tender　blossom。　　One　could　not　but　admire　the　quiet　pertinacity　of　Nature。　　She　had　been　painting　the　grass　under　the　snow。　　In　spots　it　was　vivid　green。　　There　was　a　mild　rain；mild；　but　chilly。　　The　clouds　gathered；　and　broke　away　in　light；　fleecy　masses。　　There　was　a　softness　on　the　hills。　　The　birds　suddenly　were　on　every　tree；　glancing　through　the　air；　filling　it　with　song；　sometimes　shaking　raindrops　from　their　wings。　　The　cat　brings　in　one　in　his　mouth。　　He　thinks　the　season　has　begun；　and　the　game…laws　are　off。　　He　is　fond　of　Nature；　this　cat；　as　we　all　are：　he　wants　to　possess　it。　　At　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　there　is　a　grand　dress…rehearsal　of　the　birds。　Not　all　the　pieces　of　the　orchestra　have　arrived；　but　there　are　enough。　　The　grass…sparrow　has　come。　　This　is　certainly　charming。　The　gardener　comes　to　talk　about　seeds：　he　uncovers　the　straw…berries　and　the　grape…vines；　salts　the　asparagus…bed；　and　plants　the　peas。　You　ask　if　he　planted　them　with　a　shot…gun。　　In　the　shade　there　is　still　frost　in　the　ground。　　Nature；　in　fact；　still　hesitates；　puts　forth　one　hepatica　at　a　time；　and　waits　to　see　the　result；　pushes　up　the　grass　slowly；　perhaps　draws　it　in　at　night。

This　indecision　we　call　Spring。

It　becomes　painful。　　It　is　like　being　on　the　rack　for　ninety　days；　expecting　every　day　a　reprieve。　　Men　grow　hardened　to　it；　however。

This　is　the　order　with　man；hope；　surprise；　bewilderment；　disgust；　facetiousness。　　The　people　in　New　England　finally　become　facetious　about　spring。　　This　is　the　last　stage：　it　is　the　most　dangerous。　When　a　man　has　come　to　make　a　jest　of　misfortune；　he　is　lost。　　〃It　bores　me　to　die；〃　said　the　journalist　Carra　to　the　headsman　at　the　foot　of　the　guillotine：　〃I　would　like　to　have　seen　the　continuation。〃　One　is　also　interested　to　see　how　spring　is　going　to　turn　out。

A　day　of　sun；　of　delusive　bird…singing；　sight　of　the　mellow　earth；　all　these　begin　to　beget　confidence。　　The　night；　even；　has　been　warm。　But　what　is　this　in　the　morning　journal；　at　breakfast？〃An　area　of　low　pressure　is　moving　from　the　Tortugas　north。〃　　You　shudder。

What　is　this　Low　Pressure　itself；it？　　It　is　something　frightful；　low；　crouching；　creeping；　advancing；　it　is　a　foreboding；　it　is　misfortune　by　telegraph；　it　is　the　〃'93〃　of　the　atmosphere。

This　low　pressure　is　a　creation　of　Old　Prob。　　What　is　that？　　Old　Prob。　is　the　new　deity　of　the　Americans；　greater　than　AEolus；　more　despotic　than　Sans…Culotte。　　The　wind　is　his　servitor；　the　lightning　his　messenger。　　He　is　a　mystery　made　of　six　parts　electricity；　and　one　part　〃guess。〃　　This　deity　is　worshiped　by　the　Americans；　his　name　is　on　every　man's　lips　first　in　the　morning；　he　is　the　Frankenstein　of　modern　science。　　Housed　at　Washington；　his　business　is　to　direct　the　storms　of　the　whole　country　upon　New　England；　and　to　give　notice　in　advance。　　This　he　does。　　Sometimes　he　sends　the　storm；　and　then　gives　notice。　　This　is　mere　playfulness　on　his　part：　it　is　all　one　to　him。　　His　great　power　is　in　the　low　pressure。

On　the　Bexar　plains　of　Texas；　among　the　hills　of　the　Presidio；　along　the　Rio　Grande；　low　pressure　is　bred；　it　is　nursed　also　in　the　Atchafalaya　swamps　of　Louisiana；　it　moves　by　the　way　of　Thibodeaux　and　Bonnet　Carre。　　The　southwest　is　a　magazine　of　atmospheric　disasters。　　Low　pressure　may　be　no　worse　than　the　others：　it　is　better　known；　and　is　most　used　to　inspire　terror。　　It　can　be　summoned　any　time　also　from　the　everglades　of　Florida；　from　the　morasses　of　the　Okeechobee。

When　the　New…Englander　sees　this　in　his　news　paper；　he　knows　what　it　means。　　He　has　twenty…four　hours'　warning；　but　what　can　he　do？　Nothing　but　watch　its　certain　advance　by　telegraph。　　He　suffers　in　anticipation。　　That　is　what　Old　Prob。　has　brought　about；　suffering　by　anticipation。　　This　low　pressure　advances　against　the　wind。　　The　wind　is　from　the　northeast。　　Nothing　could　be　more　unpleasant　than　a　northeast　wind？　　Wait　till　low　pressure　joins　it。　　Together　they　make　spring　in　New　England。　　A　northeast　storm　from　the　southwest！there　is　no　bitterer　satire　than　this。　　It　lasts　three　days。　　After　that　the　weather　changes　into　something　winter…like。

A　solitary　song…sparrow；　without　a　note　of　joy；　hops　along　the　snow　to　the　dining…room　window；　and；　turning　his　little　head　aside；　looks　up。　　He　is　hungry　and　cold。　　Little　Minnette；　clasping　her　hands　behind　her　back；　stands　and　looks　at　him；　and　says；　〃Po'　birdie！〃　They　appear　to　understand　each　other。　　The　sparrow　gets　his　crumb；　but　he　knows　too　much　to　let　Minnette　get　hold　of　him。　　Neither　of　these　little　things　could　take　care　of　itself　in　a　New…England　spring　not　in　the　depths　of　it。　　This　is　what　the　father　of　Minnette；　looking　out　of　the　window　upon　the　wide　waste　of　snow；　and　the　evergreens　bent　to　the　ground　with　the　weight　of　it；　says；　〃It　looks　like　the　depths　of　spring。〃　　To　this　has　man　come：　to　his　facetiousness　has　succeeded　sarcasm。　　It　is　the　first　of　May。

Then　follows　a　day　of　bright　sun　and　blue　sky。　　The　birds　open　the　morning　with　a　lively　chorus。　　In　spite　of　Auster；　Euroclydon；　low　pressure；　and　the　government　bureau；　things　have　gone　forward。　　By　the　roadside；　where　the　snow　has　just　melted；　the　grass　is　of　the　color　of　emerald。　　The　heart　leaps　to　see　it。　　On　the　lawn　there　are　twenty　robins；　lively；　noisy；　worm…seeking。　　Their　yellow　breasts　contrast　with　the　tender　green　of　the　newly…springing　clover　and　herd's…grass。　　If　they　would　only　stand　still；　we　might　think　the　dandelions　had　blossomed。　　On　an　evergreen…bough；　looking　at　them；　sits　a　graceful　bird；　whose　back　is　bluer　than　the　sky。　　There　is　a　red　tint　on　the　tips　of　the　boughs　of　the　hard　maple。　　With　Nature；　color　is　life。　　See；　already；　green；　yellow；　blue；　red！　　In　a　few　daysis　it　not　so？through　the　green　masses　of　the　trees　will　flash　the　orange　of　the　oriole；　the　scarlet　of　the　tanager；　perhaps　tomorrow。

But；　in　fact；　the　next　day　opens　a　little　sourly。　　It　is　almost　clear　overhead：　but　the　clouds　thicken　on　the　horizon；　they　look　leaden；　they　threaten　rain。　　It　certainly　will　rain：　the　air　feels　like　rain；　or　snow。　　By　noon　it　begins　to　snow；　and　you　hear　the　desolate　cry　of　the　phoebe…bird。　　It　is　a　fine　snow；　gentle　at　first；　but　it　soon　drives　in　swerving　lines；　for　the　wind　is　from　the　southwest；　from　the　west；　from　the　northeast；　from　the　zenith　（one　of　the　ordinary　winds　of　New　England）；　from　all　points　of　the　compass。　　The　fine　snow　becomes　rain；　it　becomes　large　snow；　it　melts　as　it　falls；　it　freezes　as　it　falls。　　At　last　a　storm　sets　in；　and　night　shuts　down　upon　the　bleak　scene。

During　the　night　there　is　a　change。　　It　thunders　and　lightens。　Toward　morning　there　is　a　brilliant　display　of　aurora　borealis。　　This　is　a　sign　of　colder　weather。

The　gardener　is　in　despair；　so　is　the　sportsman。　The　trout　take　no　pleasure　in　biting　in　such　weather。

Paragraphs　appear　in　the　newspapers；　copied　from　the　paper　of　last　year；　saying　that　this　is　the　most　severe　spring　in　thirty　years。　Every　one；　in　fact；　believes　that　it　is；　and　also　that　next　year　the　spring　will　be　early。　　Man　is　the　most　gullible　of　creatures。

And　with　reason：　he　trusts　his　eyes；　and　not　his　instinct。　　During　this　most　sour　weather　of　the　year；　the　anemone　blossoms；　and；　almost　immediately　after；　the　fairy　pencil；　the　spring　beauty；　the　dog…tooth　violet；　and　the　true　violet。　　In　clouds　and　fog；　and　rain　and　snow；　and　all　discouragement；　Nature　pushes　on　her　forces　with　progressive　haste　and　rapidity。　　Before　one　is　aware；　all　the　lawns　and　meadows　are　deeply　green；　the　trees　are　opening　their　tender　leaves。　　In　a　burst　of　sunshine　the　cherry…trees　are　white；　the　Judas…tree　is　pink；　the　hawthorns　give　a　sweet　smell。　　The　air　is　full　of　sweetness；　the　world；　of　color。

In　the　midst　of　a　chilling　northeast　storm　the　ground　is　strewed　with　the　white…and…pink　blossoms　from　the　apple…trees。　　The　next　day　the　mercury　stands　at　eighty　degrees。　　Summer　has　come。

There　was　no　Spring。

The　winter　is　over。　　You　think　so？　　Robespierre　thought　the　Revolution　was　over　in　the　beginning　of　his　last　Thermidor。　　He　lost　his　head　after　that。

When　the　first　buds　are　set；　and　the　corn　is　up；　and　the　cucumbers　have　four　leaves；　a　malicious　frost　steals　down　from　the　north　and　kills　them　in　a　night。

That　is　the　last　effort　of　spring。　　The　mercury　then　mounts　to　ninety　degrees。　　The　season　has　been　long；　but；　on　the　whole；　successful。　Many　people　survive　it。






CAPTAIN　JOHN　SMITH


PREFACE

When　I　consented　to　prepare　this　volume　for　a　series；　which　should　deal　with　the　notables　of　American　history　with　some　familiarity　and　disregard　of　historic　gravity；　I　did　not　anticipate　the　seriousness　of　the　task。　　But　investigation　of　the　subject　showed　me　that　while　Captain　John　Smith　would　lend　himself　easily　enough　to　the　purely　facetious　treatment；　there　were　historic　problems　worthy　of　a　different　handling；　and　that　if　the　life　of　Smith　was　to　be　written；　an　effort　should　be　made　to　state　the　truth；　and　to　disentangle　the　career　of　the　adventurer　from　the　fables　and　misrepresentations　that　have　clustered　about　it。

The　extant　biographies　of　Smith；　and　the　portions　of　the　history　of　Virginia　that　relate　to　him；　all　follow　his　own　narrative；　and　accept　his　estimate　of　himself；　and　are　little　more　than　paraphrases　of　his　story　as　told　by　himself。　　But　within　the　last　twenty　years　some　new　c