Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-11-19
A Hottentot and Thermometers.


My boy Pet was not handsome. In
deed, to European ideas, his small ewes
set obliquely in his face; his wide and
fiat nose with its distorted nostrils, and
the bridge so little elevated that the
space between the cheek-bones was
almost flat; his protruding lips and
long and prominent but narrow and
pointed chin might appear positively
ugly, Notwithstanding the verdicts of
the various Hottentot bellies with
whom he was on familiar terms, and
who evidently regarded him with APP
proving eyes.
He was a pure Hottentot, of type
now almost extinct; he was faithful;
tolerably honest, except in matters in
which food. drink, or money were con-
cerned; less of drunkard than most
of his compatriots; and liar of but
small capacity. He was about five
feet four inches in height, and of a
jaundiced yellow hue. His age
amounted to about 16 years in actual
time;bu he appeared to be at least a
century old in wickedness and, de-
pravity.
D-kept a thermometer hung up on
a nail which was driven into one of
the ridge-poles of the tent, and the
exercised the mind of Piet. He asked
us frequently what it was for, and
evidently regarded our explanations
as to the use of the instrument as mere
subterfuges designed to disguise the
truth, asking:
what the use of such ting? S'pose
I see a cloud dis side over dar, den me
know rain soon catch dis part, and
make plenty cold. S'pose if you no
able for tell if day hot or cold without
dem ting.
The word mercury" too, he con-
sidered slang name we had invented
to describe the metal in the bowl: and
one day, when D-happened to refer
to it as quicksilver in PETS presence,
[ could see sudden CLEAN of intell-
gence in the boys eyes, and a pleased
expression on his fiat countenance, as
if he had at last received corroborative
evidence of fact which he had long
suspected. Next day we came back
from the claim somewhat earlier than
was our custom on account of the I'M
usual heat, and when D-went, as
usual, toward the thermometer to see
what the temperature was, behold, no
thermometer was there!
We, of course, suspected Pet at
once, anu ScdfcneU Ul9n anu low LOT
him. He was nowhere near our tent,
but after some time we discovered
him at little distance, crouched down
behind heap of ''stuff" near sorting
table, busily engaged with something
on the ground. We approached him
on Uip-toe, and beheld an amusing
sight. Before him on the ground lay
the broken thermometer and beside it,
in the dust, was a glistening little silver
globule of mercury. Piet's eyes were
fastened upon this with a mingled eX-
preston of amazement and fright.
Every now and then he would cautious
~ extend a finger and thumb and en-
deavor to pick up the mercury, which
naturally escaped him and rolled to
one side. His action and expression
each time he found he had missed it
were so absurd that at last we could
not restrain our laughter; he at once
heard US, looked round, and the next
moment was dancing about and max
ing grimaces at us two hundred yards
Off
1t was not until the pangs of hunger
compelled him, toward the evening,
to approach the tent that we caught
him. He expressed contrition, but
seemed to think, at the same time,
that we had played shabby trick on
him.
what for you tell me that silver
live in dem ting for?" he asked. ''Why
you no say it witchcraft? and then |
left him. That no good silver-not
money silver. AL the Year Round.