The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-11
THE SULTRY CYCLE.


The first most cncrvating and aggravating days
of the heated term are upon ns-the days when the
tOrrid excuses OF July ami August yet unre-
heved by the airier apparel o! the person. People
not prepared just yet to change their nannelN
They cannot RISK the chances OF colds and innucnzas
and rheumatism ut the hands of the uncertain sum
mer goddess. They venture ont In the cooi OF the
morning in their heavy diaponals and their weighty
head coverings, hoping, vet doubling, that the
weather win be - little breezy. They swcler all
day under the Influences of the that aarcd upon
the whited pavcmcnts yesterday, and mentally re-
solve TO don their summer OUTFIT as soon rs they get
home. The cooling shades OF night dampen their
ardor FOR the moment, ana with the renewed lease
OF the day they 80 back 10 business with their
heavy clothes on. Here and there, it is true few
progressive spirits may be seen with linen coats,
black alpaca busters and light pants, and
many indeed, with the comfortable white hats
which Greeley and the warm weather be
tween them have combined TO call forth. IL is
probable that no rayiug emblem OF any campaign
has ever been so popular as the white hats OF the
Chappaqua candidate BID fair 10 be. They are
already In the field in full numbers ami bid fair
remain until the early days OF November. White
vests are in fun bloom. Open collars, with the
mercst thread Of neektie are worn, rs some ale
Walton OF the perspiratory distress OF the season
family Importance are avoided with as much
frigidity possible. ana even the cold shoulder is
received with some degree OF comfort.
Among the people Of leisure, who have money
ana time enough on their hands TO take things
cOolly, there are varied devices for avoiding the
effects OF the weather Some OF the young bloods
OF uptown pass the time IN their bathtubs, and
one o. two families have dubbed for the construc-
ton OF q steam fan, which blows a delicious stream
of cool air upon the suffering mortality comprising
the combination. Cigars serve to cool the heated
brain of the je,tnesse dOre iced champagne to cool
hiS nnrrh
throughout his perspirlng frame the refresh
ing sensation of cool April showers. With
these arrangements 10 assist his fiery
blood to "a cool and calm temperament it
Is believed that the dashing young gentleman of
until the more advanced days of the season and the
more pronounced DEGREES OF fashion call him to
those moonlight rides to moons. those happy
prOmenades in the paZZas, those refreshing dips in
the surf, those dashes along the beach and those
breezy sails upon the lake, with which his memory
and Imagination alone have as yet any business.
Az it il with the summer clothes so IL il with the
1 watering places. IL IL too early to take to Them
| and drcadinlly uncomfortable TO be without them
On the streets OF the city all IL langour. FREUD
meets friend, and each says TO the other How do 7
Devilish hot the words dropping from their lips
lanputdy, hardly rounded enough to he nteigible
and then friends touch the finger tips OF friends,
and eXhaustedy pursue their dropping way. In
the crowded thOrOughares the jam Of The crowds
and the nudgng Of elbows lack the energy OF the
business New Yorker People with millions Of
money impat!ently waiting their presence IN Wan
street drag themselves lisessN along in the heated
crowds and yield INTERESTINGLY 10 the shoves and
elbow-jogging OF less important people. Even the
truckmen, whose energy in rebnke AMI dcnuncia-
ton Is acknowledged unrvalled. sit lcisurcly for
hours when their trucks are hitched or blocked
without having the strength to fling epithet at
\ their opponent, thoroughly convinced that they
cannot fully canvass the subject In the present state
i OF the weather.
\ Every patch OF shade H. closely Rugged by the
pedestrian. Every awning has a few seekers alter
shade resting under it, friendly shelter The Their
mometers on the sidewalks. which show ninety
four degrees In the sum- are looked upon with an
eye OF horror by the encrvated crowd, and every
man who hasn't a wet handkerchief or a cabbage
leaf in his hat hastily retreats in terror of sun
stroke to the nearest bit of shade. Crowds are not
popular. Everybody gets ont OF a crowd as soon
as possible The little groups that surround the
print shops where Horace treeleys phz Is pre-
sented anew to a public that knows HIM already by
heart are really the only groups that hang together
long enough to know thoroughly how dreadrully I'M
comfortable crowd Is In this weather. The city
seems to have lost all It's energy. Even the stage
horses travel with less OF that speed and dash that
was formerly their won't There Is an air Of half
exhaustion, as If New York itself were Il half ex-
hausted receiver.
The Park, the gardens, the picnicing grounds the
excursion boats and the excursion cars are well
patronzed resorts of the families of leisure under
this heatoppressed regime. The domestic heart
looks to Central Park for happiness; the East River
gardens, with their lager bier and their breezy
arbors, the Meccas OF the levclhcaded fraus
and irauleins, while to the hard-wOrkcd shop girl
and BOwery b'hOy Coney Island, even with Its
monte players and dice tunblers is paradise ITSELF
On the docks the splntered tmbers shine glaringy
in the sum- the dancing waters pain the eye and
the steam and smoke and dust aggravate humanity
beyond endurance But on the excursion boats, az
ter they are once fairly underway, the cool bay
breezes are as balm to the feyered spirit.
The sudden recurrence OF 80 heated term Is q
matter of general speculation. Everybody is
wcatherwise, and says ~ knew we were going 10
have a hot summer;' but whether these wiseacres
base their predictions upon the threatened heat OF
the political canvass upon the excessive rigOr OF
the past winter are matters into which II Is too
! warm to enter.
Appended is statement showing the range OF
the thermometer at =. M. for each day since Sat
urday last and for the corresponding days OF last
year,
1871. 1872