Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-05-29
MIR. po.t. Looking for a Light.

One night during the troubles in the
Pennsylvania coal regions, Judge Potts
brother, Thomas Potts, was round at a
meeting of the mine owners, and after
the adjournment he stepped into a
tavern. While there, he met some
friends, and in the course of an hour or
two he got very intoxicated. On his
wav home he lost his hat, and a miner,
who knew him, feeling compassion for
him, clapped on his head a miners hat;
look brighter, he lighted the lamp in
front OF the hat. When Potts reached
the house his wife had gone to bed, and
the lights were out; but Potts felt GER
tain the lamp was burning in the hall,
but he couldn't for the life of him tell
where it was.
He looked at the regular lamp and it
seemed to be out; then hunted in every
direction for the light, but he was una
bic to find it, although it seemed to
shine. brightly wherever he went.
Presently he happened TO stop in front
of the mirror in the hat rack, and then
he saw precisely where the hight was.
After a brief o5jurgation upon Mrs.
Potts for leaving a light in such place
he went up to the mirror and tried to
blow it out. He blew and blew. but
somehow the flame burned as steadily
as before.
THAT" said Potts, sis the most ex-
traor'nary lamps ever been my misfor-
tune t encounter"
Then he took off his coat, and, hold
ing it in front of HIM, crept cautiously
up TO the mirror, and tried to crush the
coat over the lamp, which still burned
brightly. He said:
That's cert'inly very extra'nory.
Moz 'stonishih' circumstanz ever come
un'er my observation. Don'o how to
count for it.'
1t occurred to him, that perhaps he
might smash the lamp with an umbrel-
la. Selling the weapon, he went up TO
the hat, and, aiming a terrible blow ut
the light, he brought the umbrella down.
He missed. and smashed his Sunday hat
into chaos. He took aim again, and
caught the umbrella in the lamp over
head, bringing it down with a crash
Then he tried third time, and plunged
the ferrule of the umbrella through the
mirror, smashing it to atoms. He felt
exultant for moment. as the light dis
appeared from his vision, but he was
perplexed TO find there was another
light somewhere. So he sat down on
the stairs and remarked: :.
''Moz 'stonishing' cireumstanz ever
come un'er my observation. Whaten
thunder doz it mean anyhow? Lights
gone, an vets shinin', Perfectly
incomprehensible, Wish to gracious
Mrs. Potts'd wake up an splain
it. Durn f know what | had better
do"
Then Potts took off his hat to scratch
his head, in the hope that he might
scare up an idea, and the truth flashed
upon him. Gazing at the lamp for a
moment, until he drank in full con-
ceptiOn of the trouble it had caused him.
he suddenly smashed it down on the
floor in rage, and extinguished it after
covering two yards of carpet with
grease. Then he went to bed, and in
the morning Mrs. Potts informed him
that some of those horrible miners had
broken into the house the night before.
and left one of their hats with lamp.
Potts turned over in bed so that she
could not see his face, and said if the
stern hand of the law wasn't laid upon
those ruflians soon, nObody's life would
lie safe.