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St. Solifer with other worthies and unworthies
St Solifer with other worthies and unworthies Author:James Vila Blake Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SPRINKLING THE THERMOMETER. I have met two instances of persuading the thermometer: one by icing it in winter, the other by watering it in summer. Some urchin... more »s at school, in very cold weather, when it was not possible to bring the school-room to a safe temperature, were told by the teacher to put on their overcoats. Also he advised them that if it grew any colder he should send them home, and thereupon went out of the room to consult with the principal of the school. Now did the urchins rise ingeniously to a level with the emergency; for forthwith they opened the window, procured an icicle, and held it to the bulb of the thermometer. When the teacher returned, shortly, he looked at the mercury, started, rubbed his glasses, looked again, decided that it had fallen six degrees, and dismissed the victorious rogues at once. The other instance—I mean the watering of the thermometer in summer—was the deed of a friend of mine on a very hot day. Consulting the mercury in a shaded place, he found it registering ninety degrees. Whereupon,procuring the garden hose, he thoroughly sprinkled the thermometer, declaring he would not endure it so high. Now, there is much likeness in the two cases. I make no doubt my friend comforted himself fully as well as the roguish urchins attained their object; for it is surprising what a part fictions play in our life, and how much comfort we may get from conditions or circumstances which the while we know well enough that we have in; vented, and that they are but figments of our fancy or progeny of our heart's desire. I knew an excellent old gentleman, of a contented mind, who lived wholly by the thermometer; for his feelings—I mean of the flesh, creepings of cold or flushes of heat—came and went wholly as the thermometer advised his eyes that they ou...« less