Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-04
naiIg Asra1n1ls mel aonrnsL
now IT FEELS 70 u STRUCK n IrGHr.

George Aills writes Is followsp to the
Chicago IA ..JssR-s.. Nas.s,
Oh tn egen3 % u ,hs. lOth day n 3u1y,
1870, 4 - IN M lifhfninR np9etSis
folloN5ne I'm 16c69s Lam - fSf1f,
and I'D ire ~ ~ : k5spSe, J. fapfths
off nf1e knna TIE $500 - %
drive Ao6ne-1Aes Y, n okyE selltg4f
had jn9 fallen, 1cc y Nqeh
hght6inR ma lo6d fhtal Il. md HIDE
rain falling, We would 4Ay Il VS. 'sspsapk-
ling" While riding through the 6eld !
discovered small cluster Of cockle-b urrs,
a noxious weed that infests many farms
in this section of the country. The cattle
were feeding near me. dismounted and
held the horse with one hand, and pro-
ceeded to pull up the burrs with the other
While STOPPING to pull the last one, my
hand grasped close to the root, the horse
standing with his head partly over my
STOPPING body, a fash of lightning struck
the horse, entering his head in and behind
his left ear, tearing two holes in the skin
behind the ear, and though he was wet
with rain, the hair was singed from his
head, neck, shoulders, and one front leg
to the ground he Of course was instantly
fluid struck me on the right temple, sing
ing the lashes of the right eye, and slight
" burning or scalding the face, rendering
me unconscious for little time.
The following were the sensations and
phenomena as l observed and remember
ed them: First, I felt myself developed
in sheet of perfectly white light, accom-
panied by sense Of suAceation by hest.
The light could be seen a. well through
the back Of the head - with the eyes,
and appeared to extend several feet on al
sides Of me then experienced . sense
Of danger, and tried to escape injury from
my horse. Then followed o troubled
dream, in which was hauling = load of
hay in company with another person, and
in spite Of all the effort l could make to
avoid it, the load Of hay was about to fall
on me. When in my dream / made .
last desperate effort to spring from under
the hay, found myself standing on my
feet. The first thing observed was the
cattle. in fright were running from me !;
and next, that stood IN front of the pros
trate horse. Instantly comprehended
the situation, and listened to hear the
thunder that should have accompanied the
lightning, but no thunder could be heard.
felt no pain and no sensation, except
mental sensation, which lasted but q few
seconds.
At first l thought the lightning had
struck near me, and had slightly stunned
the horse and myself. Then l observed
the water on every hair and the moisture
in the eyes, nostrils and mouth Of the horse
to be boiling, having the appearance and
making noise like fine drops of water on
hot iron, which continued for several
seconds. This was phenomenon have
never heard Of probably because person
near enough to see it is most always rem
dered unconscious too long to make the
observation. Judging from the distance
the cattle had run, was probably uncon-
scious less than six seconds.
Finding that the horse did not breathe.
proceeded to pull off the saddle and bril-
die, and then felt severe pain in my
head, which continued tor several hours,
followed by soreness, which seemed to be
in the substance of the brain, with an in
clination to inflammation. but at the end of
week no effects of the lightning were
felt.