The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-08-09

Cannon Discharged by a Girls
Magnetic Touch.

Astonishing Instance o0f tho Use
| In War Of Human Electricity.
indianapolis News.
| IL hes been twenty -four years siuca
the var closed. but IN that long time eli
Of the history OF that great epoch not hss
been written. Is has been the plea ~
the historian, and the sustaining and n.
spring thought Of those who have mot
been contemporary 10 the events narrated
that history cannot Do written ia the day
IL 10 made.
| Al any rate an incident. probably not
heretofore described, which occurred A.
the seige OF Vicksburg, IL entitled 10 con-
sideration 81 the hands Of truthful chron-
iclcrs who do not reject we'll authenticat.
Ell episodes simply because they are pic.
turesque.
Major r. q. Blud, who lives north o.
the city on the Crown Hill road il
Mississippisn by birth. His father was
: slsve-holder aud . believer IN the cause
Of the South. Politics led 10 : separs.
tion Of the family, one Of the sons who
stouiIy stood for the Union, leaving tho
paternal roof and coming north in his
teens. When Lincoln called for men
this son was prompt TO respond. In tho
service TO which he thus gave himselfie
became Major, aud IL il through him
that this story hes being. During the
theirs had enlisted in the Confederate
! armies. and when the Major with his
!. company was . part OF the investing
lines that held the starving Mieeissip-
pians within the fortihcations Of vicks-
\ burg, he wondered IL any OF bis own ki,h
: and kin were in front OF the guns.
Il have just received word that my
: old father is dead" be said. "He left .
paper which was TO be opened after his
death. IL Is strange document, as you
will see. In il he asks for : reconcilia-
I tion Of HE estranged since 80
4 by the war. One clause, directing par
lticulsr attention TO me. says:
Al can not 90 TO my grave without ask
i ing your forgiveness for suppressing 90
!. long my parental love. There is no rsa-
! son why our family should longer be
: lapari. Our bot Southern blood ex D lains
our conduct. There 10 but one act Of
:, Excessive vindicliyensss that needs TO DO
i explained.
ri was In charge Of . battery at vicks-
burg in front Of your command. On the
! l28th Of June you made IN assault upon
4 tho works. We we're short Of battery
) supplies. Our last fnse had been fred.
= We had neither torch nor match. You
i know. perhaps, that your sister Kate.
70 then young girl, followed me oil
Through the war. She would not leave
line. You know also the peculiar physi-
lcal energy and subtitle force that charac.
terize our blood. lf you will 60 back to
learly days-befOre We had heard much
of electricity or northumberland will
remember how oil OF you children used
Ito rock tables and chairs By power you
could not explain and how Kate used 10
comb sparks OF OF her hair 70 the terror
LOT the colored people.
Well, in our desperation that day in
1.-THE trenches. ] determined 10 have Kate
fire the cannon II the worst came. BY
rubbing her hands or feet over . rough
lclolh or BY stroking her hair she could
lcharge herself with electricity and dis
charge il ~ the end Of her finger In
sparks. When you came up against our
trcastworks that day I've did not then
know that you led The column) we were
without means Of firing upon you.
"Kate," called.
ayes, SIR she answered. comprehend.
ling without further words Stepping
|up 10 one OF the gnns. che prered through
the port hole ~ the advancing column OF
blue coats. l saw her turn pale and fall
ter, aud her eve WAS fixed upon an OBJ
ject outside. looked aud Jaw YOU ia
the van OF your ranks, iairlv in front Of
our cannon. ! was dazed but only fo.
an instant. Our men were beginning 10
yield. and your troops, meeting feeble
resistance. we're coming on trinmphan.ly.
do your duty, Kate" 4 said, and the
girl, setting her teeth together, rubbed
Iher hand twice over her rough jacket,
snd lightly struck the old fashioned can
= non right At the toucb-hole where lit
tile pile OF powder hsd been poured.
There was On instant discharge and re-
8. suit confusion in the Federal lines.
do not know, unless Providence
came directly 20 your aid, how you es-
. csped. But loved my State, and We
Thought We were right, boy. You need
never 10 have known this; for few Jaw
liz, and they ere gone. But fathers re-
- turning affection compeIs me TO tell al.
In the fierce love We had for our cause
We would have sacrificed you. thank
9 God that 10 the fearful rain Of shot that
:, day YOU were spared. Kate lives 10 join
il this request that you forgive.
"There ID nothing in this TO excite any
Incredibly" the Major said 10 speaking
g. OF the letter. my father 10 right. Al
flour family are human electric batteries
-ILet me give You On illustration
v The Major sst down, pulled on ssnoe
= and stocking and scraped his bare foot
. lon the carpet few times. Turning On
l gas JET he took bis finger and applied
/ liz Il the gas vent. Instantly the gas ~.
nited from the spark that Vas given on
bis finger.
Il haven't done that for years. said
Ihe. sbut knew that could do u unless
INV physical makeup had changed: hs
mot 40 remarkable. Many people, doubt
less, could do Il II they but knew their
= eyes, 1 shall 60 back 10 Mississippi:
sra X IA vill be inst 6 dear TO me IS II