Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-09-13
From the A@sr,eaa hsricuhuri,t.
Tim Bunker on Lightning Rods.

up ,ha, iron thing on your barn Tor ?" ask
cd Jake fr:nk. as We were a; work upon
the last I1h abOu, the new barn. which
have not yet said anything about in the
American Asrieulturi,I
lam going have the harm finished" |
said. We want a rcd just as much a.
we wan, windows IN the frames, or shingles
on the root"
IL gues, the lishtnin' n 30 where 1t is
sept. rol or no rod. ." observed Tucker, as
he thrust, new piece OF pig'iai! INTO his
cheek.
a" wasn't Squire ROdnan's house struck
with lehtnln' last week, though 1t had a
rol on it," asked Jones. ,riumphAntly.
Z" Ye-, but the rvd Vas joined With hooks
and eyes, and the connection va, no, per-
feet, observed Mr.. SpOonsr, who was one
OF the group.
Don't YOU think you are prOvOkin' the
Almighty by puiua' up that ROD - said
Deacon Little, who has never forgiven me
for turning salt marsh into meadow. and
raising three tuns OF herls-eras TO theacre.
Yoa -" continued the Deacon, in his
i.voriis style Of argument. 4" tha, wha, is to
De. will be, and you can, help It by light
min rods or any other ins,rumsntality. II
II i decrecd thA, your barn Is 10 be struck
with liehtnin', guess iron rods amt goin'
TO save it A man better not tamper with
thunierbolts.
Now" sAid |. Tucker. wha, have you
20, chimney TO your house fJr ?"
"Why, to carry the smoke OF. to be cure,
and to keep the house from burning up when
We make Ere"
"wsll." aid I. won't the smoke 60
where i, i. sent, JOS, as much a. the light.
min. And ye, you don't end any tiaicul,y
IN making the smoke follow the inside Of
the chimney. until !, GETS up into the air
out Of your way. Now admit that light
ming is little more dangerous TO handle
than smoke, but il follows certain laws Just
a. straight a. smoke does. You see. light
niug has wha; the philosophers call an az
huity for iron. and 10 follows 'he outside Of
rod. Jus, as smoke doe. the inside Of chin
ney. Some say /, goes down, and other.
say il goes ur. A, any rate, |, sticks 20
the rod. and 80 pa.-c- % without doing Any
damage. just as smoke sticks 20 the chin.
ney. II you want TO know why il dos that,
I~ill tell YOU when you can tell the Why
smoke rOes upa chimney. l; follows the
road that !. bull, for it. jus, as regular as
locomotive follows the railrOai."
An engine would 20 rather prOGiseu.
Gus, Squire. ii't want for them ere rails. :"
sad seth Twiggs. as be blew an extra PuG
from hi. pipe, illustrating ,ha; smoke would
20 where il was sent. when i,dii no, follow
achimney.
=. But ,ha; amt fair argument" said
Deacon Little, "you know i. amt. Tim
Bunker. you inslel. We make sdo smoke
and can control ii, but The Almighty makes
The lightning"
"well, Deacon" ,skei. wha, have
you pat shingles upon your house for :"
why. 20 she'd rain, OF course"
Very well. =" sai1 |, ,"and the Almighty
max. the rain. IL be don't make the smoke,
and II man is to be wet. he will DC. and
you can't help it by putting shingles over
hi. bead. or by any other instrumsntali,y.
It's no use tamperius with what Noah's
deluee wa. made Of"
The Deacon saw that he was caught, and
looked over to Mr.. SPOJner for help. lie
always believes in Mr.. SPOoner's orthodoxy,
when be sides with himself, otherwise be is
bsrytical.
IL DO no; sc how you can get round tho
squire. Srgumsn, against shingles" re-
marked Mr.. SPoOner, rather dryly.
81, stands to reason" continued, BY
way Of clinehins the argument, ",hai rain
|. jos, a. much Heaven sen: article as
lightning. liaman Is wise by turning oa
the rain. by shinsls, he cannO, be fool,
or an inGdsl. in turning Of the Lightning Sy
an iron rod"
IL i. surprising. Mr.. Editor. to fnd 81
much ignorance. and prejudice, in the eom'
nuuity. against the Use Of lightning rods,
Ii. Just a. well settled, in the minds OF all
intelligent people, that these conductors are
complete protection asalns, lightning. a'
iii. that roofs are complete protection
against the storm. Root. sometimes leak,
AMI the rod. Sometimes DO no, connect. Ia
either case, the fault j. not in the theory,
bot in the imperfect realization Of il. A
whole root i, a complete protection against
rain. A good rod is a complete safeguard
agaius, lighting. And yet we find bun
drei roof. where we end one rod. \ hous'
or barn il considered finished when the roo
!. on. and the glass Is in the windows.
don't consider il finished until the Lightning
rod is on.
Ny people consider il pretty good policy
TO get insured against Gre, though there ar'
seue who seem to think 1t q sort Of gamb'
ling TO DO that. A man builds basn. worth
5000. aud when his stock and hay ant
gram are in il. i, !. worth no, less thar
5000. lie gets il insured at 4 cost, say
of $40 year, and thinks i, good economy
Upon the sane principle that nan get'
insured asain,, Ere, | think he had bs;,eI
get insurrd against lightning I,is much
cheaper, and be has the advantage Of bsin;