The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1870-07-25
THE HEATED TERM.

The heated term IL having most won
derful effect upon tho people Of our city
Many are quietly leaving for lodges in tho
wilderness and for the watering places,
whilc most OF those who arc compelled by
impecuniosity Or business to remain, are in
dustrious at the business Of complaining at
the heat and bewailing their inability 10
to induce the winds Of Alaska to visit our
corporate limits. But a few there are who
profess 10 be impervious 10 the heat, refuse
to sweat, and declare they rather like the
broiling sun and the sultry hours Of the
warmest days. One Of these hest-dcfyers
came to grief the other day in very
laughable manner.
Our readers have seon cheap thermome.
ters, in which tho numbered plato behind
the mercury may DO moved up
or down. IL moved up the
mercury will seem 70 stand lower in the
tube; il moved down, higher. In the
Office in which the gentleman to whom we
refer does business-( he Is 1 merchant and
fine musician --is . thermometer Of this
description. Tho other day--one Of the
hottest Of tho season-thc gentleman be-
gan 10 boast to his oflco companions that
he felt no inconvenience from the heat,
that IL only warmed his blood somewhat,
making II glow line vino in fact cxhilar-
ating instead Of enorvating him. The
mercury then stood In the room at 9so, bvt
was sinking in the tube, fact Of which
Mr.. - was not aware. In o moment or
two he had business in the next room, and
while absent one Of his companions slipped
the numbered plate down, making tho
mercury stand opposite the figures 1859.
Returning 10 the room Mr.. - happened
70 look 1t the Thermometer, and said !:
This 10 actually tho hottest day Of the
season. In fifteen minutes the me rcury
hes risen sop .......
And ho began 10 look little flushed 10
tho face. A solitary bead Of sweat sud-
denly made hs appearance on his fore
head. f''
Again he was called out Of the Office.
Again the plate was slipped, and the mer.
curry stood opposite tho figures 100.
| "Why," he exclaimed, returning, 1.-The
heat 10 actually becoming intense. Within
IN hour and half the mercury has rison
lsop
And several beads Of sweat appeared on
his face, while oil the men in the Office
werc swinging their fans with energy, de.
claring their belief that the fires Of Tophes
had burst their bounds and were about to
consume sinful humanity.
Again the plato was slipped down, and
the mercury seemingly rose In the tube %,
and stood 1t lls'.
How the fans Auttered in that heat.dis.
tressed Office. Ono young man 60, u
sponge, filed II with ics-water, placed IL
on his hoad and declared that he could
not live Away and wished not TO stay.
ut is hot, said Mr.. -, now becoming
thoroughly alarmed. ~ never saw the
like Of Il. l can stand heat with anybody
but this Is becoming intolsrabls.' ~
Slip again, and the mercury stood oppo-
site the figure 100.
BY this time, tho Office men were Nil near.
ly dead with heat. Fans Auttered; ice
water WAS poured down parched throats !;
and they all looked like mslting masss Of
humanity.
BY this time Mr.. had thoroughly
caught tho infection, and had stripped
himself Of coat, vest and shirt. From each
Of his pores torrent Of sweat was spout
ing. Holding pass Of ice In one hand,
with eager haste he auttered a large fan
with the other.
"Did you over SEQ the liko1 One hun
dred and toenty degrees and still rising ! /
don't blame you for your complaints. /
can stand rs much heat US any man, bu,
am actually sutfocating"
Just then he glanced at the thermome-
ter, and It stood at one hundred and tpenty-
SIR degrees
GOOD God, boys, look at that One
hundred and twenty-six degrees HI
has broken loose and no mistakei Lot II.
prayi" ...
just then an explosion Of laughter made
him look around the room with curious
eyes. lie saw all his companions rolling on
tho hoor In IN ecstacy of merriment.
At first he thought the extreme heat had
cr@zed them oil, but, in moment, seemed
to understand the situation. CHANGING at
the hormometer no noticed that tho mar.
curry stood at only ninty-two degrees
And then he swore, and finally cooled
Oh. He now denies that there IL any truth
In the story Of his discontinue, and is
again acting the role Of the salamander.
He has never smiled since that momsntous
day, and like the king who lamented the
death Of his son, will never smile again.