Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-26
THE SECRET PLACE OF THUNDER.
Scientific DisquisitiOn by a Cana.
dian Editor and Professional Lee
turers

turer.
From the New York Sun.
Mr.. c. A. johnson, of Hamilton, Ontario. lee
tured last evening in Garnet hall, West Twenty
sixth street. Mr. Johnson ia q colored gentle
man. The tickets to the lecture, which cost ten
cents each, bore the announcement that he was
"a professional astronomical lecturer and editor
OF the B,-itida Lion" They also announced that
he had '1ectured in Europe and In the principal
| cities in England, Ireland, Scotland and the
United States"
81 am sorry" said he, shat there is no chair
| man tonight; but that pleasure being denied
me. will introduce myself am the editor of
a paper read by great many people Of this
country, and am to talk to you tonight on an
important and scientific subject, The Secret
Place Of Thunder / suppose many of you are
anxious to know just where that is. If you can
find time to stay here, think 1 can give you
| some idea.
81 may be permitted to say" the lecturer
went on, "that many OF the leading scientists
of the day have confused ideas as to the secret
| place of thunder. Now, thunder does not hap
pen without cause. To find out this cause is
the important thing. AS far as the good au-
thorities are to be relied upon, we may con-
clude from them that thunder and lightning are
meteOric phenomena in the clouds. Such a
| definition, I think, will escape scientific
criticism, and satisfy the inquirer. So far
as my researches have gone, I may say
that l have never seen thunder come
from single cloud. I have never seen it. In
deed, unless two clouds meet. l have also re-
| marked that most of the thunder is heard
only after the flash of lightning Is seem Again.
we never hear thunder from a serene sky 1t q
person does hear thunder from clear sky, he
had better look around to see if there are not
| some clouds For thunder is very dangerous
thing. my thinking, people make mistake
| In attrlbuting the damage done by storms to the
| lightning. l believe it is the thunder that does
| the harm. Of course I don't mean to say that
| lightning does not kill people sometimes: but
the thunder kills more. For example, have
always noticed that in war more people are
killed by the cannOn-ba than bv the flash of fire
! from the lannon's mouth. Therefore l con-
| Guide. and reasonably so, that the thunderbolt
does more harm than the lightning flash
"Thunder is sulphurous, and makes the at
mOsphere unhealthy. Moreover, learned people
| ride, or even to walk. in the direction of the
wind In Thunderstorm or in an opposite direc-
ton to that In which a thunder cloud is moving
To further prove that thunder is very danger
GUS thing, have only to cite the case of man
who was struck senseleSs by a thunder-clap
When he recovered, a quarter of an hour later,
he said: Who knocked me DOWN. We can't
overlook such confirmation of scientific truth as
| this. Birds have been seen with their feet fast
| to electric wires during thunder-storms and
once a lady, who put her arm, with a gold brace
let on it, out Of q window in a thun,ier- storm,
was struck by the thunder, and the bracelet dis
appeared altogether and could not be found.
| Thunder also sOurS milk.
"Of course, you may entertain your own opin-
ions on these Matters" said the lecturer,
frankly, ''and dare say you will; but in my re-
| searches have obtained no better information
than l have given you. The secret place of
thunder to conclude, must be somewhere.
| Everything has beginning. My theory is that
/ thunder ORIGINATE Oofhfnr oil On hon oya
| explosion OF electrical clouds, and therefore,
consequently. the secret place Of thunder can
be nowhere else than In the midst of the convo-
| lutions of the electric clouds.
! cts very warm now said Mr.. johnson. after
| this announcement, land, therefore, will bring
| my remarks to a close and take my seat have
| another astronomical lecture called The Bal
ance OF the Clouds, and / hope to have the
| pleasure OF delivering it here before l return
| to Hamilton. l thank you for your kind atten-
| ton"
| The lecturer distributed copies Of the British
| Lion at the close Of his discourse 1t is month
| ly newspaper well printed, and having the
| motto: thine, Perseverance and Patience will
| Accomplish All Things" The lecture was lis
tened to with evident pleasure.
Discipline i'm the Lime-Kiln Club.
From the Detroit Free Press.
After Samuel Shin had struck the triangle the
usual six strokes, and Pickles Smith had got his
dog made fast to the club safe, the president
| arose and asked:
Sam Judge Staveaway Bulger in de hall dis
eavnin'?"
"He are" was the answer from spot near
the water pail.
"Den would like to have you step ford to
de desk"
The judge advanced with apprehension in his
eyes, and his knees knocking together, and
when he had reached the desired position
Rrnf hnrE
''Brudder Bulger, IL reliably informed dat a
surgeon picked twenty-five bird-shot outer your
back de odder day"
"Y-yes, sah."
can is furder informed dat de said shot
struck you while you war gallopin' down an
| alley on de Cass farm"
'J-jist so, sah."
"An' de las information am to de effect dat
you didn't git de chickens you war arter."
"Yes. chickens! When say chickens doan'
mean calves. A sartin white man was watchin'
sartn hen-roost. A pusson to him unknown
| climbed de fence to accumulate poultry, but
| took fright an started on run De gun went
| of arter him, and some of it cotched him.
| Brudder Bulger has you anything to say befo de
Committee on Harmony leads you to de head of
the stars an lets you drap?"
Il reckon 1 has, sab. doan' deny dat was
shot In de back, an | admit dat 1t war in an
| alley. but it was done by a boy who was out
| huntln' rabbits. Yes, sab, an he's dun begged
my pardon an axed my forgiveness, an he's
| gwine to pay all de expenses"
"Brudder Bulger, what am de name Of dat
| boy?"
'I-I has dun forgot, sah.'
sam night de time to hunt rabbits?"
"Dat's de very best time to hunt some kinds.
sah"
"An' you wasn't arter chickens?"
"Chickens Why, de very name of chicken
| makes me sick. was lookin' arter my knife in
de alley, and didn't find it,
The president scratched his ear for minute
| and then said:
| 'Td like a vote of de club on dis queshun
| Secretary, call de roll"
The roll was called, and the vote stood: Guilty.
| o.; not guilty, 55. Elder TOOts, being asleep.
did not vote, and Samuel Shin asked to be ex-
cused on the ground that he loved the judges
| half-sster.
| "Brudder Bulger, de club says not guilty. !"
observed the president, "but It am such a
powerful close shave dat deem 1t my dooty to
warn you dat de mex time anybody goes out
rabbit huntin' an takes you fur a rabbit, your
place In dis club will be declar'd vacant In q
tone Of voice dat will make de cold chiIls canter
cfar up to de back of yer neck! We will now
conflscate lords de regular order of bizness."
ATTKMPTED 0urRAGE.-The Easton (Md) Ledger
says sunday night a cOlOrod man went to the rest