SUMMER OUT OF SEASON.
["There is a theory.... according to which Texas owes its torrid climate to the fact that it is separated only by a sheet of brown paper from a reservoir of heat not of solar origin. During the last few days it must have occurred to many to suspect that the partition between ourselves and that great store of caloric must by some untoward accident have been reduced to something of Texan tenuity."—The Times.]
The summer had gone, from city and park,
But—in mid-September—came back for a lark!
And banged the thermometer up again.
It made Mr. Bull mop, and puff, and perspire;
It filled Mrs. Bull with amazement and ire,
And throttled her poor old pug pup again.
For fires had been lighted and top-coats put on.
When—something amazing occurred in the sun,
And "heat-waves" went wildly cavorting
About our old planet in fashion quite frantic.
The Briton was floored by the wonderful antic.
Played midmost his season of sporting.
"Eh? Ninety degrees in the shade—in September?
So monstrous a marvel I do not remember!
Here, put away bag, gun, and cartridges!
Bring in a cider-cup—iced. My dear boy,
Sport, at midsummer heat, who can really enjoy,
By Jove! It will roast the young partridges!"
"A hundred and nine! Nay, a hundred and ten!
By Jove, it will melt off the point of my pen!!!"
The editor howled in his snuggery.
The dandy in shirt-sleeves sat down to his dinner.
The City Police grew perceptibly thinner,
The cab-driver sported a puggaree.
It played up the mischief with pleasure and work,
It played into the hands of athletes in New York,
Who licked molten Britishers hollow.
It set the 'bus drivers indulging in naps,
It made evening papers use up all their "caps,"
And it hindered the flight of the swallow.
It fogged all earth's creatures from mammoth to midge,
It made the bees swarm under Blackfriars Bridge,
And owls play strange freaks down at Chiswick;
And when it got over a hundred and nine,
It worked on some portly old buffers like wine,
On some elderly fogies like physic.
O summer's a guest we all part with in sorrow;
But when she comes back the day after to-morrow,
(Instead of in six months, or seven,)
Before her late sorrowing mourners are ready,
Society's course she is apt to unsteady,
Till we wish her in Tophet—or heaven.
But there is one thing our late summer has done:
It has widened the realm of the Spirit of Fun!
Ironical? Nay, not a particle!
We'll pardon this "heat-wave" a lot of small crimes
Because—it has made our own serious "Times"
Indulge in a humorous article!!!
The Age of Love (computed by the Daily Telegraph).—The time of the Silly Season.
THE VERY LATEST "HITTITE" SEAL!
This most remarkable seal, while not, perhaps, affording a complete solution of the "Hittite" problem, presents many features of the greatest possible interest. In general form it is of the shape known to the scientific world as the Kennington Oval, and the fact, in reality, affords the key to the partial decipherment of the "Pictographs" on the two faces of the seal.
At the upper part of the first face, shown above, is a double-headed goddess, wearing a cap with horns, which would seem to indicate that the well-known "Horns" at Kennington was, in early times, a temple dedicated to the goddess who specially watched over the chances of some ancient pastime to which these incised figures manifestly refer. Beneath this goddess is a two-headed bird, hitherto supposed to be an eagle; but we consider that its identity with the bird known to connoisseurs as the "Double-Duck" is now fully established.
Beneath this, again, is a curious dwarf figure with straddling legs, which, as occurring elsewhere, has been described as homunculus. He is evidently engaged in practising the pastime above referred to. On the right is a curious triangular object, in which we can scarcely be wrong in seeing a primitive tent or pavilion, an adjunct of great importance to the players in times of hunger.
The other face bears a spirited "Pictograph" of more than ordinary realism, representing, we would suggest, the triumphal retirement of the homunculus at the conclusion of his performance, and the animated figures above would seem to represent the rejoicing adherents of the retiring player. The objects above have sorely puzzled the student, but we think it may now be generally admitted that they depict the sun setting in splendour behind a reservoir of some gaseous compound such as may even now be seen at Kennington.
It is even suggested by some that the homunculus may be actually a portrait of some diminutive but distinguished Surri player of primitive times.