The Boy with the U. S. Weather MenRolt-Wheeler, Francis
General
The Boy with the U. S. Weather Men
Rolt-Wheeler, Francis
United States. Weather Bureau -- Juvenile literature
"How could we get them made?" asked Anton. "Do you suppose the Weather
Bureau in Washington would make them for us and let us have a few
copies?"
"No," said the Forecaster decidedly, "I know the Bureau wouldn't.
They've a hard enough job doing their work on their present
appropriations, as it is, and if they were going to spend money on
sunset pictures, Anton, such would be done by some big artist, in
consultation with trained meteorologists."
"I've been wondering," began Anton, and paused.
"Go ahead," urged Ross.
"Couldn't we interest some one else to do them, just to help the thing
along?"
"One of the big negro colleges has a lithographing plant," the
Forecaster said thoughtfully; "they might be interested in it, if the
matter were put before them the right way. I don't suppose they'd give
any money, but they might make plates for you at cost and you could sell
them here at enough to cover the expense. Bob has the right idea.
"Talk it over with Deacon Paul, the colored minister; he's closely in
touch with all the progressive work among the negroes. I think you'll
find it can be arranged, because there's a right fine spirit among the
negroes. They're trying hard to improve themselves.
"I believe you could interest them, too, by showing that the study of
the weather, even in sunsets, is a patriotic duty. The negroes are
mighty loyal."
"Mr. Levin!" exclaimed one of the boys, "what has a sunset got to do
with patriotism?"
"They do look pretty far apart, don't they?" replied the Weather expert,
with a smile. "Yet one of the great tragedies of military history, one
which led to the death of hundreds of thousands of men and changed the
map of the world, was due to a failure to study the colors of a sunset."
"What was that, Mr. Levin? Won't you tell us the story?" pleaded Anton.
"Very well," the Forecaster agreed; "maybe it'll show you how important
to the world everything is that is connected with the weather.
"I was telling you about Krakatoa and its eruption and how the outburst
had caused red sunsets that lasted for three years. Now, if you think
for a moment, you'll see that any one who observed a period of unusually
red sunsets and knew the cause of them would know that there had been a
big volcanic eruption somewhere."
"Of course."
"Now, boys," said the Forecaster, "suppose that the upper air were
unusually full of dust, what effect do you suppose that would have on
the temperature?"
For a moment no one spoke, then Anton piped up:
"I've been wondering," he said, "if the dust wouldn't shut out some of
the sunlight and make the earth colder."
The Weather Forecaster gave the boy a shrewd look.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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