The Placer herald., 1862-02-08
The Streak of Lightning.

The doctor thus tcrvcntly appealed to, laid
down his hand at cuchrc pushed his spectacles
up his forehead. gave his empty tumber an in
tense look. aud gratifed our curiosity rs TO the
cant phrase, "Doys, did oou see that streak Of
liehtning?'
''1ou must know, my dear young friends that
ST. Louis was not always rs big place as it now
is and accommodations for man and beast were
not so good us they are now.
About those days the tavern ut which | stop
ped, and il was the principal one in the town.
contained one log ROOM like the cabin of steam
boat. which served in the various capacities Of
ball room. a hall OF uStice. a common council
room. ii theatre. and when the town was full, for
Il sleeping apartment for such OF the surplus pop
Il alton uS were not lucky enough to get Accomo
daions in Il more limited space.
Well. business once more carried me there IN
midsummer. and us the town was thronged, was
put with thirty or forty others, in the great ac-
commodation room and cons igned for the night
to my pallet of straw came in late that nj ght.
for had made some acquantances and we had
rather fast time of it, so that found all the
mattresses occupied. save the one reserved for
me- and each occupant fast asleep. The landlord
had given me a small piece of candle, about an
inch long. to light me to bed, and as he was too
sleepy or too lazy to get candestick took the
tallow in my hand and marched up to my dormi-
tory 1t was Il fearful hot night, and the temper
ature of course, not much lessened Ivy the heat
|
sleeping men,
soon found my bed and forthwith proceeded
to unshOok. Sticking my candle on the edge of
my chair, carefully laid my clothes on the back
of it so rs to guard as far possible all probability
of their contact with the tallow and l was pro-
ceeding to blow out the light when, in my anx-
iety to save my clothes, the only suit had with
me, the thought occurred TO me that had better
remove the candle altogether After glance
around the room, found this to he matter of
difficulty. saw that every chair occupied.
l was afraid to set it on the floor, and the fire.
place was too lar off to justify the remotest
hope Of my ever regaining my couch, once away
from it in the dark. While was in this quan-
Diary my eye fell upon the form Of large fat
man, who was sleeping at a tremendous rate,
about ten feet off. From the excessive heat that
prevailed, he had thrown off every unnecessary
article of clothing. He was breathing at the
same time as hard and snoring as loud as if he
was determined to extract every particle of en-
| ioyment from those musical accomplishments
Quietly advancing toward my snoring neigh
| bor, | soon found firm and permanent lodgment
for my piece of candle, now considerably reduc-
ed. upon very prominent and very exposed por
tion of my fat friend, and he was so profoundly
asleep that had no difficulty in finding fixed
basis for my burning talOw. AS soon as l had
by actual experiment satisfied myself that my IL
| luminator would in its upheavings turn neither to
the right nor left, but would burn steadily where
| L
quietly as possible, and soon tried to get up a
small gamut of extra noise with my nose and
throat but it was no go. Every incipient effort
at snore was sure to terminate in a litter, and
so just lay still and watched the course OF
events.
I never saw piece of candle take SO long to
burn half an inch l thought it had the lives
of nine cats; but burn it did, and still snored
my fat neighbor. The light gradually approach
ed the period of its extinguishment; l confess it
was the most exciting period of my life. AT
last. to my inexpressble delight, saw the sleep
er give witch, and then for moment all was
still then followed spasmodc action little
more violent; calm for an instant succeeded
when the candle performed circle in the air,
expiring as it reached the floor; and the fat man,
wide awake, and perfectly erect, was heard to ex-
claim: .
"Boys, did you see that streak of Lightning!
Anobody dead? am hiE Don't you smell
SEQ, ched meat?'