The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-11-04

of the thunder, be so good as to tell me
your reasons for esteeming this one
room of the house the safest, and youl
own one standpoint there the safest
spot in it..
There was now little cessation OF
the storm for awhile The lightning
rod man seemed relieved, and replied;
''Your house is one-storied house,
with an attic and Il cellar; this room is
between. Hence its comparative safe
ty. Because lightning sometimes
passes from the earth to the cloud. Do
you comprehend? and | choose the
middle of the room, because if the
lightning should strike the house at all
it would come down the chimney or
walls; so obviously the further you are
from them, the better. Come hither to
me, now"
Presently. Something YOU just
said, instead of alarming me, has
strangely inspired confidence"
.'What have said?''
"You said that sometimes lightning
flashed from the earth to the clouds. :"
'Aye, the returning stroke, as it is
called when the earth, being over
charged with the fluid, flashes its sur
plus upward.
''The returning stroke; that is, from
earth to sky. Better and better. But
come here on the hearth and dry your
self"
Il am better here and better wet"
"How?"
"Itis the safest thing you can do
Hark, again!-to get yourself thorough
ly drenched in thunderstorm. Wet
clothes are better conductors than the
body; and SO, if the lightning strikes,
| it might pass down the wet clothes
without touching the body. The storm
deepens again. Have you a rug in the
house? Rugs are non-conductors. Get
one that l may stand on it here, and
you, too. The skies blacken-it is
dusk at noon. Hark!-the rug, the
rugr'
I gave him one; while the hooded
mountains seem closing and tumbling
in the cottage.
''And now, since our being dumb will
not help u.s." said |, resuming my
place, ''let me hear your precautions in
travelling during thunder storms"
"Wait until this one has passed"
NAY, proceed with the precautions.
You stand in the safest possible place
according to your own account. Go
on"
Briefly then. | avoid pine trees,
high houses, lonely barns, upland pas
lures, running waters, flocks of cattle
and sheep, a crowd of men. If | travel
on foot-as to-day-I do not walk fast;
if in my buggy, / touch not its back or
81, i
lead the horse. But of all things, /
avoid tall men,"
''Do l dreamp Man avoid manP and
in time of danger tooP"
'Tall men in thunder storm |
avoid Are you so grossly ignorant as
not to know that the height of six
footer is sufficient to discharge an cleo
tric cloud upon himp Are not lonely
Kentuckians blowing, smit down in the
unfinished furrowP Nay, if the six
footer stand by running water, the
cloud will sometimes select him as its
conductor to that running water. Hark!
Sure your back pinnacle is split. Yes
a man is a good conductor. The light
ming goes through a man, but only |
peals tree. But sir, you have kept |
me talking for so long answering your
questions that have not yet
come to business. Will yon order
one of my rods? Look at
this specimen one See, it is the best
of copper. Copper's the best conduc-
tor. Your house is low, but being on
the mountains that lowness does not
one whit depress it. You mountaineers
are most exposed. In mountainous
countries the lightning-rod man should
have the most business. Look over
these recommendations Only one rod,
sir; cost only twenty dollars. Harki
There go all the granite Taconics and
Hoosics dashed together like pebbles
BY the sound, that must have struck
An elevation of five feet
above the house will protect twenty
feet about the rod. Only twenty dol
lars, sir-a dollar a foot. Hark!-
dreadful!-W you orderP VIII you
buyP Shall | put down your name?
Think of being heap of charred offal,
like haltered horse burnt in his stall;
and all in one flashr'
''You pretended envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary to and
from Jupiter Tonans," laughed l.; you
mere man VINO come mere 10 put you
and your pipe stem between clay and
sky, do you think that because you can
strike bit of green lightfrom the Leyden
ar, that you can thoroughly avert the
bolt? Your rod rusts or breaks
md where are you? Who has en-
powered you, you Tetzel, to peddle
'ound your indulgences from divine
ordinations? The hairs of our head
ire numbered. and the days of our
ives In thunder as in sunshine | stand
It ease in the hands of my God. False
legotiators away! See, the scroll of
he storm is rolled back. The house is
and in the heavens read in
he rainbow, that the Diety will notion
purpose, make war on mans earth.
''Impious wretchr foamed the
tranger, blackening in the face as the
ainbow beamed, ''I will publish your
nfidel notions"
The scowl grew blacker on his face;
he indigo circles enlarged around his
yes.as the storm rings round the mid
light moon. He sprang upon me, his
ri-fork thing at my heart.
xsI IA \ 4 "a.