The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-04-18
Remarkable Electrical phDnome-
non.
DURANT, Iowa, April 9th 1857.

non. .e.&
DURANT, Iowa, April 9th 1867.
Correspondence of the Davenport Gasetts.
At the request Of several, send you
the following account OF q rather uncom-
mon Electrical Phenomenon:
On the evening Of the Sd Of this month
I was called to see a patient, HvingA
mile and half from my residence. II
had been cloudy all day, with occasional
showers, and at this time there were at
short intervals vivid flashes OF chain
lightning accompanied with thunder
l reached my place Of destination about
half past Pm, by which time 1t was
dark. On coming out Of the house to re-
turn home, found 1t had become In
tensely dark, so dark that l could not
distinguish any object whstever, and
the propriety OF my remaining all night
was suggested, but being anxious to be
at home, ! declined, and started on my
return, taking q short cut through the
field. In order to avoid certain obstruc-
tions near the path, l took the precau-
ton to lead my horse l had proceeded
hundred and twenty yards or 80
when saw faint point Of light at the
outer angle of the left eye; thinking II
to be caused by some unusual position OF
the hairs of the lid, / shut and opened
them rapidly several times and It passed
away. -=--.sr- -
BY this time, owing to the darkness,
had become completely bewildersd as to
my course, and judging that my horse
would take me more directly home than
! I could guide her, mounted the saddle,
dropping the bride rein upon her neck.
had proceeded but a short distance
when again saw this point Of light,
which upon w'nking, did not disappear;
l raised my right hand, which was rest
ing on the pommel of my saddle, to brush
away the points, when | bchcd at the
tips of my thumb and each finger, n
white light; surprised at the phenome-
ma, l brought my hand before my face
to examine more closely this singular
occurance. These points seemed about
the size of small pea and from quarter
to half an inch distant from the ends Of
one at the index, which was about ar
inch and half from the tip and looking
: more like spark; this one was contin-
ually moving or dancing about, but al
WAYS ut the same relative distance from
. the finger tip. AT the same time there
appeared similar luminous points on the
tips of my horses ears-sharper and
more defined on the right than the other;
these were about the size of large pea.
. The same luminous points appeared on
=. the rim of my felt hat like beads, two or
!, three inches apart; also on the lower
- edge of my coat-cufr as the hand was
!, elevated.
1t was raining and my hand was wet
. having on no gloves; the other hand
:. was under the cape of my rubber coat,
and was dry-ou raising 1t the same
light points were visible upon the finger
. tips as have before described on the
~ other.
=. placed my hands and fingers in al
ia manner of positions rapidly, but thess
!, points still remained and did not vary IL
"a brightness or relative position, only as
~, changed the position of my hands ant
fingers.
~ This continued during the time nj,
ia horse was occupied in walking d!stanc
n of quarter of mile, over muddy
plougbed rough ground. At this tim
.o there occurred a vivid fash of lightning
-. which for a moment or so blinded me
, =, but during the flash l discovered that
was surrounded hy fog, on mist, an
he could see only n distance Of about fift
yards. l also saw that was just at tn
oo east edge of a small pond, and about fift
yards north of it, was another with
,d strip of unbroken ground between then
IL, MY horse changed his course for th1
hn passage way of his own accord. by tn
u. time the effects of the glare Of the flas
ha had passed away my attention VIZ
ho again directed to- these points Of ligl
which seemed to become more distinct
.,- those on my horses ears We're now cq,
Il, ally luminous and moro sharply define
,ed than before, az were those on my finger
now reached forward, aud took hol
,d of my horses ears and brought my han
nd down along her neck, over the roots
~ the name. AS my hand passed alon
the hair it left n luminous track in /
course. and sparks were given oil in II
;cd direction of the hairs Of the manc,
&c, considerable numbers and with fin
are swapping sound, IL from n battery tn
mt occurred several times. On raising M
nix hand sparks were given of from the I'll
Mt of the fingers, from the angle of IN
ere shoulders, and as | took hold Of my rnl
ars Der coat to throw it more over my rigl
he ley, luminous line ran down, or mp, Il
ow edge OF it, and sparks were thrown off
ess greater numbers, with the same fail
llst snap, and in fact from every angular pc
lly fection of my dress within the scope
IN my vision.
to This gland display continued Will
- my horse was walking distance OF
ne hundred and fifty yards. when reache
la lHAni