The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-09-05
The COntented Man.

We never know more than one man who
was perfectly satisfied with the weather at
all times and under all circumstances. 1t
was Chubb. No matter what the condi-
ton of the weather, Chubb was always con-
tented and happy, and willing to affirm
that the state ofthings at any given mo-
ment was the very best state that could be
devised. In summer, when the thcrmome-
ter bolted up among the nineties, Chubb
would come to the front door with beads of
perspiration standing out all over his red
face until his head looked like raspberry,
and would look at the sky and say, "Splen-
did perfectly splendid! Noble weather
for the poor and for the ice companies and
tie washerwomen never saw such mag
nifcent weather for drying shirts They
don't shake up any such climate as this in
Italy. Gimme my umbreller, Harriet, while
sit out yer on the steps and enjoy it," In
winter, when the mercury would creep down
fifteen degrees below zero, and the cold
was severe enough to freeze the inside Of
Vesuvius solid to the centre of the globe,
Chubb would sit out on my fence and ex-
claim, "By gracious, Adeler, did you ever
see such weather as this like an atmos-
phere that freezes up your very marrer. 1t
helps the coal trade and keeps the snakes
quiet. Don't talk of summer time to me.
Gimme cold and give it to me stiff" When
there was drought, Chubb used to meet us
in the street and remark, "No rain yet, /
see! Magnificent, isn't it I want my
weather dry, want it with the dampness
left out. Moisture breeds fever and ague,
and vets your clothes. Ifthere's anything
l despise it's to carry an umbreller. No
rain for me, if you please" When it rain
cd for week and swamped the country,
Chubb often dropped in to see us and to
observe, 81 dunno how you feel about this
yer rain, Adeler, but it alters seems to me
that the heavens never drop no blessings
but when we have long wet spell. 1t
makes the Corn jump and cleans the sewers
and keeps chewing tobacco from getting
too dry. wouldn't give cent to live in
q climate where there was no rain. Put me
on the Nile and I'd die in week. Soak
me through and through to the inside of
my undershirt, and | feel as if life was
bright and beautiful, and sorror nothing
but nonsense" On showery day, when
the sun shone brightly at one moment and
at the next the rain poured in torrents,
Chubb used to stand ut the window and
exclaim, Harriet, if you'd we asked me
how 1 liked the weather, I'd we said, just
as it is now. What want is weather that
is streaked, like piece Of fat and lean ba-
con, little shine and q little rain. Mix 'em
up and give us plenty of both and I'm your
man." Chubb was always happy in a
thunder storm, and one day, after the light
ming had knocked down two of his trees
and torn his chimney to pieces, we went
over to see him. He was standing by the
PROSTATE trees, and he at once remarked,
"Did you ever know of a man having such
luck as that9 was going to chop down
them two trees tomorrow, and as that CHM
ney never draw'd well, had concluded to
have it rebuilt. And that gorgeous old
storm has fixed things just as want 'em.
Put me in thunder storm and let the light
ming play around me and Pm at home. I'd
rather have one storm that would tear the
| bowels out of the American continent than
dozen of yer little dribblin' waterin-'pot
showers. Ii can't have rippin' and
roarin' storm, don't want none" One
day Chubb was upon his roof fixing shin
| gle, when tornado struck him, lifted him