Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-01-01
BENIN gsCENC ES.
what Happened al Charles
town.
wzFras ron THE a:Aarixsi u IznnREsDxNr
BY A BEgKELE~ BOY.


Iy last chapter VI devoted to
I sminiscences of somt Y my school
eliows at Charlestown
1t is now in order t. say a word
about the teacher in charge Of the
academy there, when was a scholar.
He W. 5 the Rev. Alexander Jones.
Parson JONES'" as he AS called,
was the rector of a Protestant Epis-
copal church that stood upon the
high grounds in the southeastern
suburb-whether still standing, 7
know not.
The academy not proving very
profitable, the Parsons clerical sala-
n was necessary to his wants, because
he not only had wife of high no.
tions. but a considerable NUMBER of
little Jonses to support from his in
come. He came from Rhode i Hand.
For yankee he was rather ndicea-
ole for a lack of the eeonomicalEiews
and h;s1 It's generallycharacteriItic of
New Englanders. He dressed well
and was fond of good living. Being
of aldermanic proportions, his perso-
nal appearance was calculated to re-
call what Shakespeare wrote of one
of his Characters, who is described as
having a ''belly with fat coupons
slined.n He seemed greatly to relish
This dinner. But there was quite a
sudden interruption to one Of his
prandial enjoyments, which | vivid
" recall. | was a boarde in his
house at the time it took place, which
was in this wise: He had just said
grace, and we were about to COM
mence the welcome exercise OF the
table, one summer afternoon, When
there came a terrific clap of thunder
out of a clear sky, accompanied with
a binding flash of lightning.
CONSERVATION now sat on every
countenance, as we sprang to our
feet, some Of us partially stunned by
the electric stock, and staggering as
we scattered ourselves around the
room. shall never forget the couh-
tenance of the Dominic. He seem%
to be the worst frightened of tile
whole party, indicating that he hdd
not an ovefcharge of saving grace IN
his heart, or sufficient faith in a pro-
tecting Providence, to resist the
oyercharge of Electricity that had
paid its disrespects to his clerical
dignity.
a hurried reconnaissance revealed
the fact that the electricity had
melted the silver from the point of
the lightning-rod, and then became
divided into two currents. One of
these followed the to the ground,
where its force was exhausted. But
y the other was received by the iron
straps that held the tin spouting in
its place on portico. Down these
it traced it's course to an iron-hooped
rain hogshead that stood nearly OPP
posite the door Of the dining-room,
whose windows opened directly on
the porch. expanding its force there.
AS It turned out, nobody was hurt,
however much scared.
From that day found nay faith in
two things somewhat shaken. One
was The reliability of the lightning
rod as an absolute protector against
the Lightning, however it may serve.
as probably in this instance, to at
j tract it. The other failing test was
of the superiority OF the. trust OF
Reacners. over common folks; in the
protection Of Heaven, however rea-
dy. as Pars{a Jones was, tolpreach
up faith Therein to others.
Reference to that shed recalls an.
other passage in my school life at
Charlestown. Itsr0of becameas most
welcome prison bounds to me fol
a time, in this wise: There was quite
long line of board fence along the
east side of a road that led South
from the Academy grounds. In re-
pairing it a nail had been driven In
reversed order, so as to cause it tc
project into the thoroughfare. While
lot of us boys were enjoying astroll
along the road, some one threw a
stone toward me. / made a sudden
! spring to evade it, and III so doing
my leg came in contact With the
nail, which wounded it just above
| the knee-pan, making a deep gasf
through the tendons, che cicatrix Of
Of which / will carry to my grave.
Unable to walk for several weeks
was transferred from the old filthy
lormitory at the Academy to a room
whose windows overlooked the roo
Of the portico already referred to-
So soon as / get able to crawl out o.
my prison--for such it was to me IL
| irksomeness-I did so the moment
nN arson went to the Academy
- my station on the roof
could see the boys going
Id havea word OF Cos
Never did terrapin
NJ, enjoy a summing
han II did my percl
was not unlikel,