In Colder Climes.

Otago Witness, Issue 2626, 13 July 1904, Page 85

In Colder Climes.

In the winter time, even in England, people, of course, find it difficult to keep theia«ehes v. arm. The merchant in hi* omce, the cleik at his desk, just l.ke iho^e at home, frequently ha\ c cause to remark: "Well, it is cold!" But how about v.oikers in still more cLillv lands?

Two lettcis. each with a picture — here reproduced — recently received by the prefent ""'liter, aro in this connection of interest.

Says No. 1: — "Not long since. I passed over a section of the Trans-Siberian railway, m Rus-ia. At one place I came upon a tjroiip of engineers at wotfk in a log hut. Their 'office furniture' consisted of four wooden stools, tv.o lamps, and a wooden table. To keep them irom being frozen, the lable had a sto\e placod beneath it ps at B, the chimney of the stove A passing up through the table. One man, a compiler of volumiu</U% rPi~oits, had taught himswlf to write with either hand. When one hand became numbed with the co!d, he put it in his pocket, and w-ent on writing with the other." No. 2 caipe from British Columbia. The writer of it, engaged in business there, paid : —

"In wintor time out her-e, and especially when the wind blew, I had a job to keep warm when sitting down to pen-work, until I hit upon this dodge. O\er the open, English-pattern fireplace E that I have, I had a iron projection D fitted to serve as a desk. On this, clad in furs, as seen, I now write. Mv ink I keep on the mantelpiece C. Placed on the. 'de-k,' I might upset it over my paper*, and on the maniclpioo© iL still does not readily freeze !" Happily Engli.h winlcrs ha\o not yet compelled reso -rce to such ingenuity.