Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-07-16
LIGHTNING IN J0HNNY's HAIR.
BY ADAM STwIN.

combs can't blow, can theyP"
Could you guess what Johnny meant by
such n queer, backhanded question? l
couldn't, nor his sister Mary, either. was
quite sure, however, that he meant something
sensible, If one could only get at it; but Mary
was doubtful.
Blow what?" she asked, not so pleasant
ly as she might.
"Why, blow air." said Johnny, to make
wind"
"Of course not, you silly child; what makes
you ask such question as that?"
Mary thinks Johnny is pretty bright little
fellow in general. but on particular points
she is always ready to call hial Ounce. with
out stopping first to find out what he really
means to say. The trouble is, she knows so
little herself that she thinks she knows every
thing. Mt least everything worth knowing;
and Johnny is all the time puzzling her with
questions that she has no answer ready for.
"What have you seen to make you ask
that question:" l inquired.
II didn't see anything" said Johnny; al
Just felt it-like some one breathing softly on
my face and hand when | held my comb
near"
"Nonsonse," said Mary; you just mag
ined it."
"No, l didn't" Johnny insisted" felt il
really. this morning, when Il was combinG
my hair"
oh" said l, suspecting the cause of his
difficulty; "what kind of comb was it?"
"a black comb" said Johnny.
Horn, or RUBBER" l asked.
''It's a rubber comb" said Mary.
slow did your hair behave when you were
combing it?"
"MeaH as anything" Johnny replied.
ut stuck up like Mary's when it's frizzed
and wouldn't stay anywhere"
Pant of that was for Mary's benefit
Johnny likes to tease her.
"Not at first" said JOhnAy; the coml
seemed to crackle, and put it to my ear b
listen; then felt the wind on my cheek"
Suppose you bring the comb here" sale
/, "and show us what it did"
Johnny ran off for the comb, but cam,
back quite erestfalen.
at won't do it now" he sand.
"As much as ever!" cried Mary triumph
antly.
"But it did this morning, truly" he said
rather humbly.
"Pshawl" said Mary, ''yOu imagined il.
Like many another discoverer, Johnny ha
to learn what il is to DO discredited and rid
culed. for knowing too much. Because Mar
had never noticed what he described, sh
was ready as older people to cry nonsense,
impossible" and all that sort of thing, with
out stopping to consider whether he migt
not be in the right after all.
"You had better try it again some othe
day." / said to johnny. "Try dlfferer
combs. Try in the dark, too"
"What for ?" Johnny asked.
you might see something, said.
"In the dark P"
"Yes, in the dark"
Johnny wondered how that could be an
he wondered still more when | suggeste
that 1t might be good plan to try the CON
also on Humpty Dumpty-that's his shagI
dog.
Tive or three mornings after. Johnny can
pounding at my door before breakfast; wit
1 let him in he cried, ut blows now, sure
"What blowsPn
"Why the comb"
took the comb from his hand. and. pr
ting 1t to my cheek, said, II don't feel a
wind from it,"
THAT isn't tho way" he said. reaching o
for the comb, "You must do this first" Al
he ran the comb rapidly through his hair
few times, then held 1t TO his cheek, sayin
II can feel 1t plainly"
''Ses If 1t win blow these, " said, strippi
some bits of down fron feather and layi
them upon tho table. To his great surpr