Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-14
MAKING UP THEWEkTAERF FORECAST.
A Scene In the Signal ONCE in Washington
Almost Any Night.

Look here" said the signal officer, as he
climbed up into the weather-factory and
glanced around upon the young men who
were struggling with the forecast for the
next day: what's the matter with you
fellows anyway? What makes you look so
glum?"
"Glum!" repeated the boss weather.
clerk. as he brought his fist down with a
bang on the table. Glum! It's enough
to make anybody glum. Here they are
kicking again like steers
"Kicking Who's kicking?" demanded
the signal officer with frown.
why everybOdy's kicking. They say
we don't give 'em the kind Of weather they
want"
don't give 'em the kind of weather
they want What kind of weather do they
want, | like 10 know? ConfOund 'em, the
more we try TO please them the more they
kick" growled the signal officer. 1t
would do 'em good to bury the whole coun-
try out Of sight under pile of snow twenty
feet deep. Isn't any chance of firing any
thing like that at 'em, | supposeY"
Pm afraid not" and the weather clerk
shook his head dismally.
" Well. what's the particular row this
time? Who is it that dares to kick"
well. they are kicking out in Dakota
Dang 'em. I'll turn a cyclone loose on
'em pretty soon. They say we have been
promising 'em sunshine for a week, and
they haven't had anything but rain. Then
there's trouble in Ohio. We promised 'em
a cool wave and everything burned up with
the heat
They've been having a convention out
there" nodded the signal officer reflective
". THAT NAV account for It,"
Eyes: but how about Pennsylvania z"
remarked the weather clerk.
"Well. how about Pennsylvania 2" de-
manded the chief. Pennsylvania is al
ways making fuss. What is il now?"
I'VE said it was going to rain there last
Sunday" .
Mary rain. Then we said it was going
to rain Monday"
well, didn't it?"
"The sun was hot enough to melt the
glass in the windows. Then we said it was
going TO rain Tuesday"
well. didn't it?"
Everybody carried umbrellas and were
fooled again. Then we said 1t was going
to rain Wednesday,
We'll, didn't itI'
"Naw."
Look here. why didn't you send out for
again this summer?n growled the signal
officer.
so did" said the weather clerk.
"Well?p
"Well, it rained that same day."
Seems to me them fellows in Pennsyl-
vania expect too much. They are never
satisfied But we've got to stop this ever
lasting kicking. We must give it TO 'em
straight. Now, what have you got for to-
night ~ .,,a o.,, -
Nno,,it IL nbarv xuoul1p1f hal;ova
anything like that. It's too near the
Fourth of July. Say something about the
barometer. That sounds big, and nobody
knows what it means, anyhow"
" But how about the temperature ?"
Don't fool with that. Better go slow.
Throw in some rain on the Jersey coast"
"No, | object TO that. Pm going to
Cape May tomorrow and don't want any
rain while I am away"
People will think we amt tending to bust
ness. 1t won't look like weather forecast
without rain"
Put it down for New York, then. New
York can stand anything. The streets
need cleaning over there anyhow. They
always do"
Eyes, that will do, guess. But see,
here, hurry that bulletin up. promised
my wife I'd be home early tonight whether
we had any weather or not. What have
you got down now?"
The clerk took up the slip and read:
60 For Pennsylvania. higher barometer, pre-
sadsd By lo,cer. Temperature about the same,
Gin slight carnations. Far ,oedLher, preceded
and foao,eed W cloudy"
Clouds. you know" added the clerk,
give an idea of rain, and that will let us
cut if anything happens"
That's right. have hopes for this de-
Tartment YETI and thesignal officer nodded
approyingly rs he edged toward the door.
There's nothing Ike being certain of what
you predict. Good nightn