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

What grand irregular thunder,
thought l, standing on my hearth-stone
among the Acroceraunian hills, as the
scattered bolts doomed overhead, and
crashed down among the valleys, every
bolt followed by zigzag irradiations,
and swift slants of sharp rain, which
audibly rang, like charge of spear
points, on my low shingled roof Isup-
pose, though, that the mountains here
abouts break and churn up the thunder
so that it is far more glorious here than
on the plain. Hark!-some one at the
door Who is this that chooses a time
of thunder for making calls? And why
don't he, manfashion, use the knocker,
instead of making that doleful under
takers clatter with his fist against the
panel? But let him in. Ah, here he
comes. 'Good day, SIR" an entire
stranger. pray be seated. =" What is
that strange looking walking-stick he
carries; "a fine thunder storm. sir.
''Fine-awfulr'
'You are wet. Stand here on the
hearth before the fire. D"
mot for worlds"
The stranger still stood in the exact
middle of the cottage where he had flrst
planted himself. His singularity inn
PEELED a closer scrutiny. A lean,
gloomy figure. His dark and lank
mattedly hair streaked over his brow.
His sunken pitfalls of eyes were ranged
with indigo halos, and played with an
innocuous sort of lightning. He stood
in puddle on the bare oak floor; his
strange walking stick resting at his
side.
1t was a polished copper rod, four
feet lengthwise attached to neat wood
en- staff by insertion into two balls OF
greenish glass, ringed with copper
bands. The metal rod terminated at
the top tripodwise in three tines,
brightly gilt. He held the thing by the
wooden part alone
Sir SAID /, bowling politely, ''have
/ the honor of visit from that illustri-
Gus god, Jupiter Tonans? So stood he
in the Greek statue of old, grasping the
bolt. If you be he or his vice
roy, l have to thank you for the noble
storm you have brewed among our
Listen: That was glori
Gus peal. All, to a lover of the maJes-
tic it is good thing to have the Thun-
derer himself in ones cottage. The
thunder grows finer for that. But pray
be seated. This old rush-bottomed
! grant, is n poor substitute
for your evergreen throne on Olympus;
but, condescend TO be seated"
'While / thus pleasantly spoke, the
stranger eyed me half in wonder, and
half in strange sort of horror, but did |
not move hand or foot.
.Do sir, be seated; you need to be
dried ere going forth again.
planted the chair invitingly on the |
broad hearth, where little fire had |
been kindled that afternoon to dissipate |
the dampness, not the cold, for it was
early in the month of September.
But without needing my solicitations,
md still standing in the middle of the
loor; the stranger gazed at me porten-
.iously and spoke;
Sir" said he, .'eXcuse me; but in
stead of my accepting your invitation
% be seated on the hearth there, | sol
,mnly warn you that you had best ac-
,ept mine and stand with me in the
middle of the room. Good heavensn
,e cried, starting-"the is another
,ne of those horrible crashes. warn
you, sir, quit she hearth. "
"Mr Jupiter Tonans," said |, quietly
'olling my body on the stone, 81 stand
Tery well here.
Are you so horribly ignorant then,"
le cried, las not to know that by far
he most dangerous part of house
Turing such Il terrific tempest AS this, is
| tire-placer'
NAY, did not do that" involunta-
lily stepping upon the first board next
o the stone.
The stranger now assumed such an
unpleasant air of successful admonl-
ion, that--quite involuntarily again
topped back upon the hearth and
brew myself into the erectest, proudest
position | could command. But | said
lothing.
For heavens sake he cried, with
strange mixture of alarm and intimi-
Iation for heavens sake, get on the !
Iearth!r Know you not that the heated
.ir and SCOT are conductors. to say
Iothina of those immense iire-dogsP
luit the spot coniure-l command
nu - |