Morning journal and courier., 1880-11-23
Frequency of Lightning Strokes.


 The fatalities from lightning are very much greater in number and extent than is gene rally supposed. In European Russia alone the deaths for five years-1S7O-74-were 1, ,452 men and SIS women. No fewer than 4,092 fires are here also officially reported from the same cause during this period. In Prussia, where the registration of the causes of death IS exceptionally careful, 1,OO4 per- sons were reported as killed by lightning in the nine years from 1869 to 1877. If we may trust the report of our registrar general this country Is more fortunate in this regard for during the same period only 194 such deaths are registered for England and Wales i; but our returns are admittedly incomplete
 In Austria-from 1870 to 1877 Height years )-hghtning occasioned upward of 4O, 900 fires, and destroyed more than HOO lives. In Switzerland the returns seem cu- riously variable. For example, in 1866 only three such deaths are reported, while in 1877 we find as many thirty. Of the deaths by lightning in France, M. Boudin some years ago collected statistics which showed that du- ring the thirty years beginning in 1881 and ending in 1863 as many as 2,03S pee- pie were struck dead by lightning in that country. During the last ten years of this period the deaths amounted to SSO, and of these only 243 were women. Nothing, in deed, is more striking in these statistics than the uniform preponderance in the numbers of the male over those of the female sex. With the exception of Sweden-where for some reason not explained, and not easily to be imagined, this preponderance is not so observable-there seems to be generally about two men killed to one woman. The traveller who accounted for the immunity of the Swedish women by their comparative 'lack of personal at tractions'' as ungallant and we believe, moreover as incorrect in his fact, as he was certainly wanting in the decorum that for J, try seems invariably to suffer more than the town; the village more than the great city.
 Public buildings fare, 1t seems, little better than private houses, though a century and quarter has elapsed since Franklin's famous experiment with the kite demonstrated the possibility of controlling the electric fuid and nearly century has passed since the learned taking interest in lightning conduc- tors, were divided into hostile factions on the famous question of ''knobs or points, D Mir. Anderson estimates that at least one-half, and perhaps two-thirds of the public buildings, in cluding the churches and chapels of Great Britain and Ireland are without any protec- tion against lightning while it is believed that not five out of thousand private houses are fitted with conductors. St. Paul's was among the first buildings in Europe to be protected, Benjamin Frankl1n's lightning rods'' having been first set up over Sir Chris topher Wren's dome in 1768.
 Some Etiquette.
 A manual of ballroom etiquette concocted at San Francisco: O"When you enter house, after making your devoir to the hos tess stand in a debonnaire sort of fashion near the entrance to the ballroom, with forefnger of left hand in waistcoat pocket, the right upraised twirling the end of your mustache. Calmly survey the girls, as if taking their points. If you find any of the dear creatures looking at you, half close your eyelids and give her glance as though saying 'ta ta.' Then smother a yawn, and, with an air of intense weariness, as if bored with everything around, advance leisurely to the girl whom you have selected to favor with the next waltz. Never commit such gaucherie as to assume you could be refused, but with lazy air put out your hand saying, This is mine, believe,' and whirl her off into the mazy dance before she has time to reply to you. Should she be engaged to the young fellow just approaching to claim her, all the better; you are sall right Possession is nine points of the law you know" CD ''There invariably present number of young ladies whom interest and policy point out to you for duty dances. They give good dinners, large balls, or they belong to the exclusive set, and it looks well to be seen among them. A quadrille or lancers is all you need venture with them, being care full to return them to their chaperona i'm mediately the dance terminates. It is a painful fact that the eminently desirable girl, in a worldly point of view, is generally anything but an agreeable or attractive one. Why this is thus is explained by the law of compensation (3) ''Should there be any pretty, foolish little thing present to whom you have been rather devoted for ball or two past, let prudence keep you away from her vicinity, till, seeing her innocent eyes pressing the anxiety she has not the sense to disguise, give yourself the relaxation from duty of just one turn with the poor girl if only to bring the smiles back to those rosy lips This has a good effect on your own en- ioyment of the evening, feeling of benevo- lence being wonderful thing for the expan- sion of the organ termed a heart.' (4) Supper getting is nuisance, running one's gloves and making one feel like a waiter. Should, therefore, young lady mildly sug- gest supper, assure her supper IS bad form for young people, and very detrimental to lightness in dancing" (5) Choose the time for your own supper when the crowd have been fed You see cosy nook where piquant married woman is surrounded by ed- ibles and bottles innumerable You naturally are delighted to make one of the number serving her, but somehow you sink into a chair at her side and become waited on, shar- ing her supper Drought by the other fellows) with all the coo1ness imaginable" GO 'tAI- ways be calm. Never show the least suspi- cion of emotion of any kind. Let the women make love to you-you'll find plen- ty to do 1.-the poor sex being impregnated with what our French cousins so beautifully term the besoin d'aimer, and you thereby es- cape responsibility, and being called to book, etc.
 The paper upon which the postal cards are now made is so poor that the idiot who used