KinSource - Tale of the Week - Shrank Shamefaced

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The Minneapolis Tribune, December 13, 1893, page 4

SHRANK SHAMEFACED.

Unenviable Position in Which the Thermometer Found Itself Yesterday When the Orb of Day Appeared -- Attempts to Rise in the World Proved Futile.

When Old Sol cast his first smiles over the earth yesterday morning he found the thermometer down at the 10 below zero notch, shrinking in shame at the discomfort it had caused its observers. Mercury's downfall was a surprise to nearly everyone, as he had been conducting himself so highly of late that his good conduct was supposed to be lasting, for a while at least. But being tempted by the season he fell, like others who have fallen, and it is for his restoration to a lofty seat that everyone is praying. This condition of affairs made the sun feel bad for a time, and he covered his face in apparent disgust at the conduct of his earthly recording secretary, but finally realizing that persuasion was better than force, he shone with all his glory upon the chilly scene. This gave Mercury encouragement to lead a better life, and bracing up a bit he endeavored to regain his former high position, but the effort was futile. Doomed by a series of disagreeable circumstances he was forced to remain in the lower regions during the entire day. This arrangement was not liked by those who are required to be out of doors, but they were powerless to effect a change.

This condition of affairs seems to have prevailed throughout the greater part of the Northwest, where everything was frozen up tight. It was 10 below in Minneapolis yesterday morning, hovering near zero during the day, and getting back to 8 below at midnight.

At Winnipeg it was 32 below; Port Arthur, 10; Duluth, 2 above; Moorhead, 29 below; Bismarck, 28. At Helena it was 2 above, growing warmer further west. The present cold wave comes as a surprise to weather observers, and is expected to continue until after today, when it will probably pass away. The sun arose yesterday morning accompanied by a phenomenon known as sun dogs, which is one of the surest signs of cold weather.