The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-09-14
A Frightfnl Scene.

VI tne uealn' py ligntntng, Of a young lauy
who was sIsndlng under a telegraph wire,
in the village above the city Of New York,
during the memorable thunder shower Oft
recent Sabbath afternoon. N: P. Willis,
who resides near by this scene, thus por'
trays the occurrence, with his sympatiet'
ic and graphic pen:
IA Startling calamity breaks in upon
this limited history of what happens al
home. Close to our gate--at the door Of
one of our nearest and most valued neigh
bors-a lovely girl was yesterday struck
dead by lightning, A friend who Stood
with her at The moment, a young married
lady whom she had come to visit, was a
greater sufferer, in being proslrated by
the same fash and paralyzed from the
waist dOwnwards-her life spared at the
cost Of lorlures inexpressible. 1t is hard
10 make a record of lhis-fly, | mean,
for The saddened reading of those around
US, and the careless reading of the public
at large. II was Photographed in the city
papers, and read this morning by thou
sands who have already forgotten it,
Yet to US, who saw the flash and lrem
bled at the lhunder-to u.s. who just be,
fore, had seen the victim, surrounded by
friends, happy and admired-lhe hush
and gloom of the calamity now brooding
around US, and a feeling as if we must
still grasp and fold our wi precious ones
shelteringly to our bosoms-it is an event
for which common aud passing mention is
not enough. Strong words crowd up to
tell it, though, 10 the huTrying world, with
the claims of new and present moments
beckOl Ing them on, this mentioning of an
"accidenI'' again is but repvulion-a re.
calling Of what was flung 10 1.-The Pastwith
yesterday.
Tha household from which this finger
of lightning plucked its victim, numbered,
at the time, as many as filiy.six persons
and they were mostly in sight grouped
about upon the grounds in front Ui the
house, the sultry heat a, The close of the
Sabbath afternoon having brought every
n out of doors. The venerable man
sion open in summer TO boarders, has been
the residence of the same family, almost
from lime immemorial. 1t is a large
spread aud picturesque old house, so bu.
ried in trees and vines. that you eau hard
ly see a corner Of it, and its aged, bulactive
aud beloved mistress, IA widow of eighty
and sister Of the venerable friend and
~neighbUr Of whom | have before spOksn)
was seated under the willows which form
the avenue to the front porch, and fell
backwards with the shock Of the fatal
dash. The troop Of children, several Of
her own grandchildren among them, whc
were around her upon the benches and
green sward, had been, but a moment he
lore, out upon the grassy hlllOck wher,
The stroke fell. but was sent toward the
house TO avoid the coming shower. Til
telegraph wire, which collected and point
ed the stroke, hung in a relaxed curve
within six feet Of the summit Of This hill
lock, IA favorilc playground for the child
ren), aud he fluid hcreenlered the ground,
though the adjoining pus's and wires for
half a mile were shivered and torn apart.
The sky was darkening, but scarce q.
drop Of rain had yet fallen. Miss Gil
mour had been chatting with a hsndsrm
boy.admirer, but left hun to take aside lhc
confidential friend whose guest she was,
that she might read her a letter. Il was
from her mother, IA widow with his only
daughter and related to some visit abuu
which The moment WAS seized. for glrIi,h
taking of counsel. They passed out OF
the gate, crossed the road 10 be out ofhsar.
ing, aud stood under The telegraph wire,
where the letter was opened. Her lips
were scarce parted to read, when the
flash came-an arrow of intense lighI
shooting along the wire and binding those
who stood watching them. A scream Of
piercing agony arose with the crash of
thunder. A look toward the glare-one
Of those whom they had seen a moment
before, lying PROSTATE, the other upon her
knees with hands struggling wildly up
wards-and The truth was revealed
From joyous life, health and beauty, every
pulse beating with the promise Of as hap.
py a morrow, that young creature had
becn'summonea 10 an instant.
So complete an extinction Of lie in an
instant is doubtless a merclIul sparing Of
The usual pains Of death. The sounle.
nance of Miss Gilmour showed no suiTe
ring. Faint pulse streaks followed the
veins upon The left side, and The skin was
slightly broken upon the left hand aud the
left foot: but the person was not other
wise %disfgured. A recovery from a pr
tisl injury by lightning, however, is proba
bly, as severe pain as could be endured
The escape Of The electric fluid from the
body suddenly surcharged with it, is de.
scrlbed by The surviving companion Of
Miss GilinOur as a fierce aud searching
issue Of fire from every pore. With ~haI
power II thought remained to her, shr
imagined il To be the sudden beginning ol
the anguish uncomfortable in another world
The paralysis Of her limbs, though CON.
pIete Tor a while, yielded Ultimately 10
medical treatment, and she is likely to re.
gain the use of them, partially al least;
though the nervous system is doubtless
shattered beyond remedy. How difficult
it must he, through the tears Of such SUI.
fyrlng and sorrow as are crowded logcIIl.
er by an event like this, to see where those
recompenses are, which, philosophers tell
US, make human allotmenls equal y
OrR DEsTINY-WnAr IS IT "a strange