Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-04-21

LOutM1ut mufMuuGrs-
Agentleman who lives almost under
the shadow OF old Haryard's walls, at
Cambridge, has for several years en-
ployed his leisure In "dabbling In cleo
tricity," as he expresses 1t. In his
home all the doors, drawers, and win
dows open and shut by this mysterl-
Gus force. Mrs. c., the gentle
mans wife, declares that she hesitatcs
to touch anything-eyen to lift a
air-brush-in his private room, for
fear 1t may be somehow connected
with a hidden wire. One OF his In
yentions is unique, and has been the
means of affording him and his
friends no little amusement.
In his back yard are several fine old
pear-trees, which have sometimes led
certain boys in the neighborhood TO
overlook the distinction between
meum ct tuum. Running along the
rear of the fruit garden is board
fence, a hundred feet long, perhaps,
over which the roguish lads were
wont to climb when they wanted
pears, and which, likewise, too fire.
luently formed the stage for concert
giving cats.
On the top of this fence Mr. c.
tackled strips of zinc, which were con-
nected with the electric wires leading
TO the house. BY pressing button a
more or less strong charge of cleo
trlcity could be sent through the zinc,
odd sections OF which were united TO
the earth by means OF wires.
Unsuspecting cats wo1ld run along
the fence, and the moment their fore
feet touched the noa-insulated zinc
IN astOnished feline rose from one to
three feet into the air. sometimes to
turn q complete somersalt, and then
to descend with all four feet out
stretched as if TO fly. If the unlucky
cat in falling CHANGED to hit the zinc
again the performance was apt to be
repeated with variations. The instant
puss touched solid earth she would
utter one shrill meow Of terror and
dart away.
One afternoon during the past fall
Mr.. C was sitting in his room
when, CHANGING to look from the win
dow, he spied boy in the act of
climbing the fence, his hands resting
on the zinc. Mr.. c. Immediately
recognized him as one of the purloin-
'ers OF his pears. He put his finger on
the electric button, and the next mo-
ment startled boy jumped back
wards and tried to let 60 his hold on
the fence.
Bat electricity had set itsgrip upon
his hands, and he was as powerless to
get away as he would be to throw
down Bunker Hill Monument with a
buff of his breath.
Ke kicked, ne pulled backwards, he
struggled this way and that, and fin
ally, in despair, he shouted Justify for
help.
Mr.. c. watched the LAD for a
time, and then, thinking he had pun
isht d him sufficiently, removed his
finger from the button and released
him from electrical durance. The
boy, meantime, had caught a glimpse
Of Mr.. C-'s smiling face at the
window, and connected him with his
own peculiar sensations. he gave
vent to his feelings, therefore, in an
angry threat that he and the boys
would tear the old fence down." and
ran off.
A few minutes later half Il dozen
ragged-looking urchins, led by the
electrified boy of n few minutes be-
fore, were seen.approaching the fence,
as if with a determination to tear il
down.
Mr.. C-'s finger sought the cleo
trio button. One of the ragamuifins
put his hands on the fence, and that
instant uttered shrek OF pain and
terror. Electricity had caught him!
His comrades stopped just lcng
enough TO see that the boy was held
fast, and took TO their heels and de-
serted in a body. Mr.. gave the
frightened lad few words OF advice
and then suffered him to depart. Not
a pear was disturbed after that, nor
has he since known Of boys at
tempting to climb that electrical
fence.
BEYOND PARDON.