Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-06-30

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Desiring to compare the tempera-
lures on the two sides of the river,
he wandered over to the west side. On
First avenue. at the head of Clinton
street a large yellow thermometer
was prominently displayed. But one
glance at it was paralyzing; the ton
of the hundred degree mark was miss
ing. The P. c. fastened back across
the high bridge; on the east side. at
least, no thermometer had as vet ex-
ploded
A fruitless search for bathing
beach within the limits of the city
left the +. Z, with a resolve 10 speak
to some OF the committee to see what
could be done about the matter, af-
ter which he went home to see if the
family tivver was in condition for
a run to cooler places about the city.
Rolling Cheerfully
1t was, and soon the P. C. was roll
ing cheerfully along Grand avenue.
At the corner of Ruder park he caught
sight of Rib hill in the distance. Its
shady side was toward him and looked
cool and comfortable, with the shade
of the primeval forest clothing its
sides blue with the distance. With
no more ado he turned abruptly down
Strollers' lane.
Strollers' lane starts at Grand ave-
nue. and dips downward across the c.
4 ~ w. tracks to cross Strollers'
bridge and the tannery bridge. AS
the p. c. turned his fiivver toward the
bridges he beheld the warning sign
at the railroad tracks, and slowed up
quite prudently. The action undoubt-
eddy saved his life. The type Of car
commonly designated "flivver" is not
constructed to conform to the trans
portation requirements of fat man
There is moi enough spring. Conse-
quently a near tragedy ensued.
Do not conjure UP visions of an on
rushing train or close shave at the
crossing. Instead picture to yourself
a small car with large man wedged
between the seat and the steering
wheel, pitching and tossing down a
steep grade over rocks and holes in a
pavement that had seen better days
before rubber tires were invented. By
the time the p. G. and his equipage
reached the track an express train
would only have added the culminat-
ing bump to series of spring-rack-
ing shocks; he might have taken ii
only for another hole in the pavement
a little deeper than the rest
The passage across the ridge served
to soothe outraged nerves and springs
and even the dust and sand of Thomas
street were matters of indifference.
Speeding across the long winding
hr;1 Tln1y 10 x,1n q
little breezes took the edge off the
piercing heat of the sun. Soon the
p. c. arrived at the turn where the
road goes up the hill.
Takes Steam Out
When the radiator threatened to ex-
plode due to the pitch of the road
which necessitated steady climb in
low, the P. c. got out, and continued
his journey afoot. Driving car up
Rib hill causes the radiator of most
cars to send out little feathers and
spurts of steam, but going up the
same road on foot takes most of the
steam out of the ambitious climber.
The P. c.. took occasion to wonder if
uarry Atwood, who, it appears, was
the heavyweight of the legislative COM
mittee making a recent investigation
Of the hilLifelt about the climb the
way he did. He hoped not.
A stroll along the summit brought
him to the Queens Chair, into which.
after removing a stray cactus or two.
he sank gratefully to enjoy the view
Of Marathon county spread out he
meath him. The sight was inspiring.
Lake Wausau lay blue and sparkling
in the immediate foreground and the
city simmered in gentle haze of heat
beyond. Rib itself stretched away be-
hind him to the right and left, a vast
heap of solid, igneous rock. The
sight of this immense block of granite,
bare in many places, set him to re-
"alling his school day remembrances
Of its formation. Igneous rock is the
product of vast heat, heat generated
n the bowels of the earth during the
days of creation, Che may have gotten
his geology and theology somewhat
mixed at this point and thrown up
70 cool into hard lump of granite
highly suitable for landscape orna-
mentation. But, by the way, did it
cool off entirely? This particular seat
seemed rather warm. The sun was
surely getting in its work again and
hot rock is anything but comfort
able, to sit on. Little rivulets of per-
epiration began to chase themselves
down inside an already soft collar.
Lake Wausau lost it's look of GOODNESS
and the sparkle of reflected sunlight
became stronger. Before it should have
had time to come to boil, the p. c..
betook himself to his flivver and has
tened back to the cooling influence