The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-08-29
The Lightning's Terrible work.-Mes,r..

Tho Lightning's Terrible Work.-Messrs.
| Editors 1T seems strange that information has
| not reached The UNION of a remarkable stroke
of lightning which occurred near Lauravllle, Har-
| ford road, on the place known as Brighton"
| opposite the Smile House, on the 18th OF August
last, just at the beginning of that fearful storm
which shot its electric shafts with such terrible
| effect. My mother, Catharine van Keuth, who
| had but the day before entered her I'D year. and
who had been ailing for almost week, fell its first
victim. 1t was at about O'Clock on the alter
noon of that sultry, oppressive day when, without
heed or warning, for not a drop of rain had yet
fallen, and only rumbling distant noises had been
heard as the clouds came lazily rolling onward,
the thunder remorselessly crashed as if it had
suddenly been shot from sunlit sky. My mother
was standing outdoors, before an open window,
my youngest brother near, and my niece and l
within twelve yards from her. 1t was the first
time in my life that can conscientiously say that
it seemed to me that heard the thunder before l
saw the lightning. The latter twisted and twirled
itself at my feet but felt no shock Whatever
My first impulse was to run and see II any one
was hurt when my niece cried out, "Oh, God
Ma has been struck" My mother stood motion
less moment, then, with arms hanging close to
her side, she fell slowly backward, firm and erect
as log. My brother, who had happily escaped,
sprang to her; he had hardly gathered her in his
arms ere knelt by her side. dropped down in
the dire fear that should find her cold. L can
not say that she was not becoming 30 already;
but, though her eyes were rolling in vacant
stare, the ashen hue of death was beginning to
overspread her countenance, and her tongue was
turning black and seemed to be paralyzed, there
was yet warmth within her. The feetng spark
of life caught it was struggling to make its
exit from the stiffening body. l rubbed her arms
to keep the blood in circulation, and, in response
to my brothers eager cry, my niece ran and
brought water to pour over her head. All the
members of our family, with the exception of my
father, Felix van Reuth, who was absent, were
quickly gathered about her; water was pentifully
thrown upon her, and she was carried unconscious,
but with gasping breath, to lounge, just as my
brother, who had first caught her, had horse
ready to go for the doctor. Her clothes
loosened, or rather torn from her, her head and
limbs were literally bathed with brandy, some was
given internally, while two or three were con-
stantly rubbing her cold and dscoloring limbs
She was thence carried to bed and undressed. 1t
was at first supposed that she had only sustained
a severe shock, but it was now found that she had
been struck fully by the lightning, the electric
spark dividing into three currents upon her left
side. One had passed over the heart, under the
arm, and had glanced off at the upper part of the
elbow; these parts were black and blue and
dreadfully burned, and abraded skin was hanging
to them in shreds. From the elbow it was at
tracted to n ladle that hung on the kitchen wall
it tore the plaster downward and shot away
through the open back door, just where my niece
and had been standing. The other passed off
down the hip under the knee. The third, and
most appalling one, had taken its transit across
the lower part of the abdomen to tho right side,
down the thigh, lingering about the knee, continu-
ing its course the calf of the leg, glancing
the ankle, and striking the little toe with apparent
force, gliding between the indentation of the ball
of the foot and the toes, and leaving its last pro-
nounced fearful mark directly beneath the ex-
treme end of the great toe whence like a small
ball. it passed through the sole of the slipper, the
upper part of which was torn to pieces, and went,
Heaven knows where. We continued our efforts
at resuscitation with increased vigor. While some
soothed the wild nervousness of returning con-
seriousness, others unremittingly rubbed her with
soft flannel and dry mustard, and before DR.. Corse
arrived, about hour and a-half after the occur
renee, we had the glad satisfaction of having
brought feeling to her benumbed limbs and of
seeing her skin gradually regain its normal color.
Though the Dr., who had no thought when he
came that he should find her alive, and who could
not conceive the wonderful resuscitation, assured
us the next day that the great danger was past,
although we have lived in constant fear and
anxiety for the last week. She passed through
the storms of Saturday and Sunday and the ex-
cessively warm weather of to-day (Monday) with
remarkable fortitude and strength.
Very respectfully, JULIA VAN REUTH.