Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-08-16
THE HOT WEATHER.

| ''ii"h'poyt, J'!FahiaSt IdHie,
1t was very hot here last Sunday
night The thermometer was way ND in
the hundreds, and like the youth who
bore mid snow and ice banner with q
strange device, its motto seemed to be
Excelsior" 1t went up--up-np but
never busted and come down. You
could hear people sweating blocks away
sweating in all conceivable positions
and shapes; sweating by telephone.
sweating by refrigerators, sweating by
thunder. But it remained for a well
known Fifth ward man to find how hot it
really was. Instead of going to his bed.
ne procured trusty sheet and blanket
ana proceeded to the ironing room,
where he thought the sweet breezes
would come to fan him and make music
with his soul. About an hour after he
thus retired, the domestic remembered
that she had to get up early and attend
to the washing, as the next morning
(Monday)would be wash day. Think
ing that if the fire was already made in
the wash room a great load would be
taken Oft her mind and she could sleep
easier, she went down into the wash
room. She moved stealthily (the family
slept on the floor Just above all uncon-
sclous Of the Fifth ward man, who was
lying beneath the ironing table locked in
the jaws Of sleep. Soon big fire was
roaring in the stove, and the girl nut
some coal on, so it would keep over
night. When the wood had all burned
out and the Goals began to take hold of
the fire in that tenacious way which war.
rants fire good to hold out for five or
six hours, the hired girl noslessly with
drew, being careful to close the door as
she went out, thus breaking the nice
draft that was running. By and by the
fire settled down into a good, quiet,
steady burn. 1t didn't crackle or sizz:
it just lay there and burned as an hon.
est, well regulated coal fire ought to
burn. The heat spread out by degrees
and radiated around while the Fifth
ward man began to dream hard. He
tossed as though he had nightmare.
md once in while he would talk in
lis sleep and swear. Once he reached
around with his hand and hit the leg of
he ironing table with his fist and yelled
Take that cigar ont Of my carp He
imagined he was dynamite bomb and
hey were setting him off alive; then, j
vhen-the perspiration began running
lown his head and breast and legs, he .
lreamed he was q stick of iron ore over
It the rolling mills and that they were ;
hoving him through the breaker and |
1akisa cast iron cornice of him. By
nd by lie began to sweat SO hard that
he steam rolled off his body. A change {
anne DER the spirit OF his dream, and c
e thought he was the cylinder heads c
t a locomotive. He began to 90 "shu. I
bush; shush, shush,' with his mouth. {
$ cylinder heads do. Then he thought '
G was section of fireworks at the $
entennial, and they were setting him u
# from the top of the main Building. u
inally as he was almost yielding to
lfiocation, a male cat jumped through r
he window and walked over his face. y
e awoke at once and started up. He y
asped for breath, and making for the =
'indow, was soon out in the back ward
here he got under the hydrant and let a
le water run all over him like a Tnr. o
ish bath. He then went meekly to
cd like a Christian and slept peace.
lily till morning, thankful that his &
ife did not hear all the racket he had
ade. !