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

house,
Call me not by that pagan name
You are profane in this time of terror. '
ssSir, will you be so good as to tel
me your businessp If you seek shelter
from the storm, you are welcome SC
long as YOU be civil, but if you come on
business, open it forthwith. Who are
you?" =.
Il am dealer in lightning-rods,'
said the stranger, softening his voice;
my especial business is-Merciful
heaven! what a crashi-Have you ever
been struck-your premises | meanP
No? It's best to be provided ''-signifi-
cantly rafting his metallic staff on the
fioor-''by nature there are no castles
in thunder storms; yet say but the
word and this cottage l can make a
Gibraltar by few waves of this wand.
Hark, what Himalayas of conclusions!
"You interrupted yourself; your
special business you were about to
speak of"
MY special business is to travel the
country for orders for lightning rods.
This is my specimen-rod;" tapping his
staff; 81 have the best of references -
fumbling in his pockets. s'In Griggan,
last month, put up three and thirty
rods on only five buildings"
LET me see. Was it not at Griggan
last week, about midnight on Saturday
that the steeple, the big elm, and the
assembly room cupola was struck.
Any of your rods there?' itF
''Not on the tree and cupola, but on
the steeple." "
''Of what use is your rod, then?"
''Of life and death use. But my
workman was needless. In fitting the
rod at the top to the steeple, he allowed
part of the metal to Craze the tin
sheeting. Hence the accident. Not
my fault but his. Harkr'
"Never mind. That clap burst quite
loud enough to be heard without finger
pointing. Did you hear of the event at
Montreal last yearP A servant girl
struck dead at her bedside with a rosary
in her hand; the beads being metal.
Does your beat extend into the Cana
dasp" a.
mo. And l hear that there iron
rods only are in use. They should have
mine, which are copper. Iron is easily
fused. Then they draw out the rod so
slender that it is not body enough to
conduct the full current. The metal
melts, the building is destroyed. My
copper rods never act so. Those Cana
dians are fools. Some of them knob
the rods at the top, which risks a deadly
explosion, instead of imperceptibly
carrying down the current into the
earth, as this rod does. Mine is the
only true rod. Look at it. Only one
dollar foot "
''This abuse of your calling in an
other might make one distrustful with
respect to yourself. "
'sHark! The thunder becomes less
1t is nearing us, and near
ing the earth, too. Hark! One cram
med crash! All the vibrations made
one by nearness. Another FASH
s'What do youp'' 1 said, seeing him
now, instantaneously relinquishing his
staff, lean intently forward towards the
with his right fore and middle
finger on his left wrist
But ere the words had well escaped |
me another exclamation escaped him.
'Crasht only three pulses-less than
a third of mile off,-yonder, some
oaks there, ripped out new and glitter
ing. The oak draws lightning more
than other timber, having iron in So
luton in its sap. Your floor there
seems oak. -.e,
'Heart of oak From the peculiar
time of your call upon me, l suppose
you purposely select stormy weather
for your journeys When the thunder
S roaring you deem it an hour peculiar
" favorable to your trade"
"Hark-awfulr'
"For one who would arm others with
'earlessness you seem unbeseemingly
-imersome yourself. Common men
choose fair weather for their travels;
you choose thunder storms and yet"
THAT | travel in thunder storms,
grant; but not without particular pre-
cautions, such as only lightning-rod
nan may know. Hark! Quick-look
1t my specimen rod Only one dollar
/ foot"
"A very fine rod, | dare say. But
what are these particular precautions
If yours? Yet let me first close yonder
hutters the slanting rain Is beating
through the sash. | will bar up"
ARE you lndu! hnOW you uOl ludt
ION iron bar is swift CONDUCTOR
)esist."
l will simply close the shutters then,
md call my boy to bring me a wooden
Jar. Pray, touch the bell pull there"
care you franticp That bell wire
night blast you. Never touch bell
wire in thunder storm, nor ring Il bell ]
# any. Sort eeg
"Nor those in belfi-iesp Pray will you ;
ell me where and how one may be safe
n time like this? Is there any part ;
# my house that. | may touch with !
lopes of my life?''
'.There is; but not where you now I
tand. Come away from-the wall. The
will sometimes run down Il, !
vail, ll,zand--aiman being better con-
uctor than the wall-it would leave S
he wall and run into him. Swoop! l
hat must have fallen very nigh. That i
nust have been globular lightning"
"Very probably. Tell me at once
Shich. in your opinion, is the safest part t
f this housep' I
'srhis room and this one spot in it .t
,l,n,., T ,t.,,,J Gonna hitbn,. ~ IL