The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-20
WEATHER MAN Wins
THE LIMERICK MONEY
Mr.. r. II. Briggs, Acting
Chief Of Local Bureau,
Gets the len Dollars.
SIX THOUSAND
LINES SUBMITTED
Impossible to Kill Maxine-Let-
ters Received from All Sec
tons of the Country-lar,-
other Keen Contest
Is On This
Week.

q
From time imrnen,orial. the men who
rpn, The weather have been regarded
with peculiar suspicion Sin the COM.
rnnnities where they preside and regu-
late the climate. Theirs Is the dread
responsibility for the downpouring
rain on the picnic days of life and the
soaring sunlight In seasons when the
crops cry aloud for moisture. They
get all of the blame for the yagaries
of the thermometer. and none of the
credit: and their lot is popularly sup
posed to be unhappier than even that
i of poor Maxine herself
One bright morning. not many years.
ago. SO 1t Is said. a man appeared at
| the paying-telleris window of GER
tain bank with check, which he
wished to be cashed. The paying
teller shook his head obviously, "we
don't know you. old man." quoth. he,
Haven't you any friends in town who
could identify you?"
"Friends." cried the stranger,
amazed. Lord. no. I'm tho weather
mani"
Possibly nothing could better Illus
trate the spirit of perfect impartiality
and strict justice which grlies The
Times Dispatch in these lin ! 'ck con-
tests than the fact that IT y given
| the prize money this week to the Rich
mond weather man.
Mr. r. r. Briggs. netting chief OF the
| local weather bureau. is the gentle
man in question. 1t was Mr.. Briggs's
maiden effort as "a competing lim-
4 ericker. He submitted q string of
| lines. sall clever. and one so good that
LIT was selected from mass of some
| 5000 to complete tho verse devoted
to Old Maid Maxine.
No contest yet held by The Times
| Dispatch has attracted SO much atten-
ttion and been so keenly contested as
this one. In the first place, the num-
her of lines submitted was greater itnan
eyer before. The average number OF
| lines per person was greater lhan ever
before, showing an increasing enger-
4 ness on the part OF many to connect
with the limerick editors ten-spot, One
| lady sent In siXty-seven lines. gen-
tleman submitted fifty-four, Two COM
petitors delivered goods at the thirty
three and thirtS-six line marx. re-
spectively. and the number that turned
lin flfteen,L twenty OF hiotS So'tsi
counted by tho score.
Then, too the merit Of the lines was
marked and the race was OF the neck-
and neck variety. with the closest sort
5{of a finish. Mr.. Rriggs did not canter
4 away with the money by any means, m
i As hitherto. those non-winningalln mes
4 which came nearest to he scnVeteo
! prize are nrirted with Special DIS
4 tinguishetl Mention" and a 'arger num-
4 Der. which appealed to the ludHes ~
hardly less good arc grouped toesIne.
A under the heading More EScet1ent l!' n '
4 3lTines."
4 And. after ALL the end of Maxine y
j mot yat. 1t has proved as inpossip,N '.f :,
Ito Withdraw or kill the poor ,aaS
4 as it was to marry her. Fer friends
lat least, those who call themselves
4 her, friends---while slylv administering
aEsharp atings to her over the llmerlo u : :
Sleditor's shoulder. will not hear OF IT,
II So many letters have come IN eN-
q pressing interest in the unfortunate
ispinster, regret at her threatened re-
4 fltirement and ankle ETY. as to- her finish
that there has been only one thing tf
\, do. Maxine must he trotte:l out tal
Y one more "last appenrance."
So, against all instincts OF sssn,pa-
\, thy-fo or no lady ever lived WHOM yas
Imore deserving or pity-sh he /, Is madff
1.-THE heroinesaf one nora limerick this
Y week which Will le found duly Sc
u forth In its sproner place, 1t is sin;
\ ,iicereN trusted In his office that he'
ii presan t Is, In actual 8sfa ct. pos sltivfl,