The times., 1897-07-09
RANG BOREAS' DOORBELL
A Times Man Visits the Manufac-
tory Of Washington Weather.
Some of the Secrets of the Trade
in Daily Predfctions-A Vision
of "a Classic Cave.

1t was with timoFous grasp that
The Times man cIutched the doorDerI of
the Cave OF BoFeas Last night.
The agitation of the bell ceased as
that OF the reporter Increased. The poi
tai opened and there stood revealed the
form of n4inion OF the Weather Sage
rs the Sage in?'' inquired the re-
porter.
Yes" said the rlinion.
'where?" asked the reporter
Where would yoe have him in?''
responded the ninioa.
Let suffering mankind make answer"
qUotR the scribe
wei then, where is he at?'' suggested
the reporter.
He has gone to bed In the refrigerator
I'D ike To meet him. insisted The
Times man, reasoning that chilling ne
ception from the Weather Sage waslielter
wee than roast from the city editor
walk in"
IL was q delightful apartment. On n
shelf Were ROWS CT bottles containing spasi-
mems OF Washington weather stse;sks
OF lightning were frescoed on the ceiling
and chunks OF thunder Were scattered .,ere
and there Wind was bowling in cne
corner OF the room, and there was snow
drift in aHotheJ. Bright sunlight vas
shining in one part OF the room. and :rom
little alcoee came tire pattenng sound
OF rain and hail. A volcano was going
on under the center table, above which a
cyclone was whirling. Two effig.es stood
upon the InanteI One was fhe figure
OF a Kaffir, eiasi ia g'ltn boots aid an
ulster and one was tne figure OF an Es-
EisTss fteef in a piiin leaf far.
There came to the ears OF the reporter
sound OF cracking ice. The Sage was
awakening from his storage
A portiere made OF tcicles and moon
beams parted and the Weather Sage en-
tered. He was dressed in a sealskin cap,
a gauze shirt and he wore skates He
and a glass OF hot toddy in the ether
His manner was not ente tertainng. He took
seat on the edge OF a fallen meteor,
and rested one foot on a radiator.
You're not SO warm said the re-
porter.
There was q CLEAN in his eye as cold
as Siberian fTostbite, and his manner
was as unappreciative as a deadhead au-
dience.
Il have seen you before" said the
Sage by way of opening the conversation
Then, after clearing his throat of fog, he
said:
Young man, very young man, you
have prosecuted me in both editions of The
Times You have roasted me, and have
done your utmost to freeze me out You
have attempted To prejudice the citizens If
Washington gainst my weather But, sir,
l wish you Co know that am a Govern
nent employe. protected by the civil
service reform act, and 1 do not fear the
wrath Of the yenat press. Goto thOuArgus
eyed demon of hell"
Steam came out of the Sage as he said
this
But what about the weather. perss ted
the reporter
Young man, very young man, have
to make the weather to suit all classes of
those who use it, l number among my
friends the ice companies and the coal
companies, fur dealers and straw hat
makers, and resent your criticism of this
weather.
did YOU sidetrack those showers which
you promised US yesterday? And have YOU
-''~AiSSN VII SA-uH1ciSOOIii W DlCl you SAID
would reach here last night?'' demanded
The Times man
Yesterday waS comfortable day, but
| think today VIII be quite warm"
Then suddenly the Sage came off his
perch and said: 81 say, young man, you
are not the fellow who has been writing
those newspaper articles about Polar bears
and salamanders, are you? III must have
beer very hard work 70 write those arti-
eles. They read just like they were vyrhe
ten with pfekax."
To this The Times man said 'sNo."