El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-19
TRYING TO KEEP COOL. ;
A Story of . Summer Family
Picnic

stand it, II didn't have to be down
town all day I'd have the children out
In the park or In the country such n
day rs this. I certainly wouldn't stay
in an oven OF house when there are
trees and grass and breezes to be found
II you only go I'm search of them"
But there surely Is more comfort in
remaining quietly here than there is In
preparing for an outing and then
tramping all over the country looking
for a bit of unappropriated shade" pro-
tested Mrs Briggs
Nonsense" replied Briggs "Of
course there is some work in getting
ready. but the luxuries of this life
are not to be had without labor. / tell
you the country is the place. and well
go TO the country today. Just hustle
around and get the children ready and
well start"
But where1l we go?" asked Mrs.
Briggs.
Anywhere, answered Briggs.
THE park?" suggested Mrs. Briggs.
That's comparatively near. and
Park nothing interrupted Briggs.
I'VE can run over to the park any
afternoon when l happen to get home
early. but l don't get n full holiday
very often. and we want to take adj
vantage of it. Well get out where the
cool breeZes blow. Hurry now. We
can get a train to Mulligan's grove at
10 O'Clock. and some of the boys at the
store are going out there with their |
Notwithstanding formal, you know; |
just an outing I'll show you how to |
keep cool If you'll just hustle and put !
up little lunch"
There was an hour or more of good |
hard work. as any one who ever has |
tried TO start for little outing knows, |
and some OF the work fell to the lot of |
Briggs himself. He acted under the
orders of Mrs Briggs. who became
general superintendent temporarily.
and as result when they were ready
to start he had to change his collar
and his negligee shirt
"Whewr he exclaimed, as he put a
hammock over his shoulder and grab
bed a lunch basket. II didn't realize
how hot It was. I'd have been n
corpse before night If I'd tried to stay
in this stuffy house"
You wouldn't have been as hot at
any time during the day as you are
now" returned Mrs Briggs. who was
going on the outing under protest and
didn't care who knew II.
10 bOtr itPiith DAlt-Sr DuI
wouldn't have been as cool and COM
Portable as I will be an hour from now.
either. The trouble with you women
IS that you don't look far enough
ahead. There comes our car he add
ell few minutes later. Hurry, or
wen miss It."
Briggs grabbed one Of the children
with his disengaged hand, and with
the lunch basket in the other hand and
the hammock over his shoulder started
on n dog trot to head of the approach
ing car at the corner.
"Whew. 1t gets hotter every minuter
he exclaimed as he hung to n post and
mopped his face with his handker-
chief II tell you. we would just have
smothered I'm that house today. Why.
my clean collar is melted already"
He looked around for a seat, but
whole lot of people seemed to be TAX
ing an outing that day and there
wasn't one to be had. Mrs. Briggs and
the children were uncomfortably
wedged in between hot and perspiring
individuals and looked as IL they
thought he had rather the better of IL
standing up.
II just about sweat myself to death
in the crowd on the footboard," said
Briggs when they were on the street
again and about to take up the rest
of their journey to the depot.
How far have we got to walk now?"
asked Mrs. Briggs.
"Only four blocks" answered Briggs.
Then we may hope to be decently
Come along! We've no
time TO waste"
Ten minutes later they were on n
car with others going for an outing J
a good many others. They had
sweItered Mt the ticket office, sweltered
in the crowd ut the gate. and had been
pushed and jostled and stepped on in
reaching the car. but they all got seats
after a fashion. 1t Is warm under
train shed in the best OF circumstances
There is little circulation of air there,
and when it comes to sitting next to a !
fat man or woman and holding child
IN ones lap, verv fair imitation OF
the fortunes of the Internal regions is
experienced.
This negligee shirt of mine," said
Briggs. looks as If I had worn it in ,
swimming. but well have some COM
fort as soon as we get under way"
"If we don't start soon." returned ,
Mrs. Briggs, Il shall faint. l simply ,
cannot stand this sitting atmosphere"
And one of the children began to cry.
They left the train with sigh of re-
lief Before 1t started even the aisles
had partly filed up. and everyone
knows what enforced contact with
sweltered humanity is in closed car.
AT any rate. we're here" said
y.