The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-02

The Young Man In Charge Tried TO DO So,
but Failed

Iwenty-sovcn thermometers. big and little.
hung on n wal! in an opticians shop on one OF
the sweltcrins afternoons last week. and u
customer idly asked young man behind the
counter II tho Instruments were in commits
sion. He cheeriully responded that they were
upon active duty. anu the next moment re-
pcnted OF what he had said. for the customer
went to tho wall and cAumi n cd til . thermomc-
tiers. They were those spiral fellows that look
IKE dark red wortls carefully cooled. Scarce
any two OF them agreed in the record o: tenn
perature. They marked ali the way from 49,. .
to Il shade above J2'.
The customer called the young mans atten-
ton to tho disagreement. and lie said they
were not worry high priced thermometers
only about $40 apiece. and besides they had
bccn on strain for five days and wero over
worked. They were good enough in ordinary
weather. but for spell like the one just on. n
person should use u lirst-rate high priced
thermometer warranted not to flag in any
stress Of weather.
The customer accepted the young mans ex-
PLANTATION in good faith and started out. but
paused to look at about two score thermome-
ters on the opposite wall. Many Of these wero
II great deal bigger than any In tho consreCu.
ton OF thegmomctric liars on the other side.
ana some of them were manifestly Of eXpen-
siyc quality. but they were as variabl lie in their
and one recorded $40. good two degrees
higher than any other record in the shop. As
all hung within q space yard squire. there
was nothing in their position to account Tor
the variation. though the young man behind
the counter had weakly suggested that of
those on the other wall. such rs hung highest.
ought to show the highest readings. which as
matter OF fact they did not.
The young man. seeing the customers new
discovery. made it convenient to have business
in anot her part Of the shop. and as for the Gus
TONER ne was not mean enough to my u man
HI f.lkv q NglI far al % IN
young man had told the truth without intend
ing to do so. Nearly all the thermometers in
sight wcro too cheap to be good. us are most
body by this time knows how Thermometers
are made. but few realize how diflicut it is to
makean accurate thcrmometer. The domestic
thermometer Is chronic liar. because the
conEenitaL When Ole does tell tho. truth
within reasonable bounds tho result Is only
q happy accident but such thormometrr
to know the temperature Of anything
with scientific accuracy, would Usc II
h, zen Thermometer. Only tho most care
fMy made made scentiiie tFEHrmometers reniy
geons, pocket thermometers, little things that
cost ~ or Do. i've ~ the question Of accuracy
in ADVANCE; and soil with each thermometer
Tho best domestic thermometers ought to
como within less than halt q degree OF tho
truth. but few people buy tho best, Tho spirit
thermometers used in The Arctic regions.
task nj any early stage OF tho proceedings.
are so delicate that thoy must be, read with
II spy glass from distance lest the warmth
created by the near approIGch Of living being
urgeth alcohol upward, Even these. however.
are not to be trusted implicitly In their lowest
readings. The only absolutely accurate meas
all really good Thermometers are tested before
they are sold to conildinG public.