86 A SPRING HERESY 



"the shortest day had now past," to which she 

 replied that we had "had no day for a week!" There 

 was a rush as the car loomed up and she was swept 

 away, so that I saw no more of her. " She will be 

 all right," I said; "she see facts squarely. There 

 has been no day for a week ! A sane mind may 

 indulge its misery to heart's content." 



I have long held that the 22nd day of December 

 is the first day of spring. I am perfectly acquainted 

 with all reasons astronomical, physical, and others, 

 which tend to discredit this heresy ; but, just as the 

 little maid continued to affirm that, though two of 

 her brethren were in heaven, yet, indeed, they were 

 seven ; so, in spite of all gainsaying, I maintain that 

 spring my spring consists of six months. If it be 

 urged that three of those have no actual existence 

 on earth, I am willing to allow that they may exist 

 elsewhere, perchance as an intercalation in some 

 celestial calendar. If even this be disallowed, then 

 I ask: "Why am I compelled to be less curious 

 in my joys than other people in their miseries ? " 

 If a man rises in revolt against the general scheme 

 of things because it requires ten hours to travel 

 twenty-eight miles on a foggy day, and spends his 

 spare time circulating unconsciously through the 

 front and back entrances of a railway station, I do 

 not call him to account ; I do not suggest that fog is 

 a wholesome chastisement for congested chimneys, 

 and that he, as a right-minded man, should rejoice 

 that Nature at times witholds her besom for the 

 instruction of District Councillors. Nor do I con- 

 demn the fair conversazionist's resentment of a week 

 of nights, or question the wisdom of holding a 



