The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-20

and thither, but apparently pursuing no
steady course or moving many lateral oirec-
tion. We seemed to be about the centre OF the
movement. AS some Of the higher hsn'-
nincs flashed along the zenith, could coun.
i've or six strata of clouds betrayed oy
heir illuminated edges beneath II. lie
vhoIe armament was one blazing, merry
Mas, and forcibly reminded the oehoiue, =.
,be sublime description of the EvanSeiis'
~ Tho ner;od "when the heavens snail pass
,uay i;fe scroll and the elements melt
1n;,t feryert heat" / speak 1t reveren-
,;a,Iv and with awe, when | say that it
Nv wanted the appearance Of the announc-
49, ercbapeel to complete in its fullest sub
Unity ST. Johns description of the end of
al earthly things. The peals of thunder,
At FIRST frightful, became so incessant that
there could only be heard continuous roar
which the ear becoming accustomed to, Foon
noted not-like that of Niagara, but Infinite
~ louder. 1t seemed as if the deepest dap
ason of eternity had been opened, and IN
terested as / was at the magnificent phe-
nomena, o solemnity Of feeling Of the
power of the Almighty Involuntary crePt
over me.
1t is singular that no more harm was
done to the denizens of the earth mere
abouts, I watched at least eleven balls OF
ire dart to earth within mile radius and
an angle of less than l60 degrees from
where | sat. The only casualty, and that
not fatal. is the most singular ever heard
or witnessed the effects Of. Toward the east
end of Midland, about chain and half
from the banks of the Tittibiwasse, James
Spencer and his wife and child slept in an
eieht-by-,en room in q cottage, and .
younger brother occupied the next bed
room. still less in size. One of the sharp
est of the flashes struck tall pine Cleft for
oruament) close to the corner OF his bed
room, and descending it leaped about
twenty feet from the ground through the
Fable of the house. Through the pea
room ceiling it passed, leaving hole
like musket ball. Thence 1t struck the
upper corner of the mirror hanging against
the wall, and running down its back again
pierced the glass with q three-eight inch
hole, and slightly shivering the frame, made
for the bed. 1t took hold of Mr.. Spencer at
the wrist, and winding upwards around his
arm, dar,ed across his body, leaving a
burnt mark on his skin and singed mark
on his wooden shirt On its passage, and
leaving him insensible. Having no respect
for innocent childhood, it next took
hold of his infant, about six months
of age, singed the hair Of its scalp,
knocking it also senSeless, but turn
ed before more than frightening the
mother by its side, and made for the
next room, where Johnny Spencer was
lying. 1t tore through that, leaving mark
. I'LL NJ md r, m q
for the outside. Johnny "never even
dreamed of it." He was fast asleep when
the screams of Mrs. Spencer brought MIR.
Charbonneau, who, with his family, slept
in the other end Of the house, to the rescue.
Mr.. Charbonneau describes the scene as
frightful, room densely crowded with sui
phurous smoke, woman screaming for
dear life, O father insensible, child but
barely breathing, and the prospects of fire
imminent. 1t took two hours Of cold
water ducking and plentiful application
of internal stimulants to bring Mr..
Spencer to consciousness, and then
he did not know what had happened. The
babe to-day breathes slowly, and is uncon-
5cious, but its rate of pulsation Is evidently
on the increase. visited the place this
morning, and the scene is wonderful the
pine is riyen, the end of the house all shat
tered to atoms outside, the interior dis
tributed about, and what was twenty-iour
hours ago fair, sound-looking cottage, is
now all but raveled ruin. And still more
wonderful, its inmates are all as yet alive,
and promise to do well it no relapse sets
in.
Another class of effects from the action
Of lightning is exempliied below:
Bodies have been killed repeatedly by
lightning, and they have not given the
slightest trace Of any wound or scar, nc
slight touch Of burn or q confusion, NJ
hint of the way by which the bird sprang
from its confinement. Delicate and most
subtle, we have said, has often been liz
work. Think of it melting bracelet from
lady's wrist, yet leaving the Wrist I'M
touched; think of it melting instantly apall
of crystal goblets suddenly, without break
ing them. Arago tells how the lightning one
day visited the shop of Suabian cobbler
did not touch the artisan, but magnetizeC
MI his tools. One can well imagine the
immense dismay of the poor fellow; his
hammer, pinchcrs, and awl attracted all the
needles, pins, tacks, and nails, and caused
tnGW W auiClS W WV SooLD' 1tA>
amazed shoemaker thought that everything
in the shop was suddenly bedeyiled, or elst
that he was dreaming.
And there are several Observation-Disclosures
cases like this, showing that iron can bt
rendered magnetic by the electric current
| We read of merchant Of Wakefield who
| had placed in n corner of his room box o.
| knives and forks and iron tools destined t
| be sent to the colonies in came the light
ming, struck open the box, spread all The
articles on the floor, and it WAS found wher
they were picked up that every one had ac'
quired new properties-they had all been
affected by the subtle touch of the current
Some remained intact, others were melted
but they had all been rendered more or less
magnetic, 30 that there was not single
nail in the box but might have served the
purpose Of q mariners compass.
Such anecdotes excite the sense Of the
marvellous, and in popular science they
become windows through which the young
| inquirer is able to look abroad into the Us.
tonishing fields Of nature.
OPINIONS OF A PRUssIAN EXECUTIONER.-
| Reindel, 1.-The Prussian headsman, lives in a
very fine house in the neighborhood of Ha-
velberg, and is well off, but his neighbors
studiously refrain from holding any inter,