The Forrest City times., 1893-08-25


 thing had befallen his flock he found every sheep standing just as they had huddled in the storm, but out of the forty in the flock eighteen were dead. Not one of the dead sheep had fallen to the ground That was strange enough, but the eighteen dead sheep were black sheep, all the others in the flock being white, and unhurt. Each dead sheep had hole in the back of it's neck, around which the wool was burned away.
 '.On the farm short distance from the village big flock of sheep had gathered in q circular bunch during the storm, and every outside sheep was killed, twenty in all, and all white fieeced. On that same farm, but in an other field, was small flock of sheep, all white except one, which was big black ram. The ewes all huddled about the ram while the storm ragged, and when the thunder clap came the ram was killed, no ,harm befalling one of the other sheep. More than that, the rams fleece had been turned by the shock as white as that of any other sheep in the flock. That was all the damage that was reported during the hour I was in Bailyville, but it was enough to convince me that Ohio light ming knew few tricks that Pennsyl- vania lightning hadn't learned yet.
 My friend Simon Frey lives at Big Oil valley with his wife and seven weeks old baby. One day Simon was hurrying home from the valley trying to get there before big thunderstorm that was coming up caught him. The rain began falling before he got there, and was coming down for certain when he drove into his barn. Simon stood in the barn door waiting for the rain to slack up, when his house was struck by lightning It seemed to hit both chimneys at once, and a streak of fire ran from one chimney along the peak of the roof, and midway between the two chimneys it met another streak of fire that was flashing along the peak from the other chimney, or, rather. where the chimney had been, for both chimneys were knocked into brick dust by the lightning. When the two fiery currents met in the center of the ridge pole there was an explosion like the discharge of cannon. and fountain of bluish flame, that threw off snap ping and zigzagging sparks and jets of fire, shot up into the air at least ten feet. Then all was over, the whole ex- hibition lasting not more than three seco nds.
 "Simon was only three rods away from the house, but felt not the slight est effects of the terrible shock. He ran to the house, not knowing what horrifying sight might await him there, as it seemed impossible that his wife and baby could have escaped death beneath that terrific electrical bombardment. But they had, and after the first shock of his fright was over Simon cou ldn't do anything else but lie down and almost burst with laughter the lightning had brought about so ludicrous situation in the house. Mrs. Frey was sitting on the kitchen table, her head resting against the wall. In one hand she held roll ing pin, while the other was buried to the wrist in roll of dough. She was covered with flour from head to foot. The baby lay in basket of newly WdS1cu cIOtntS .u d idI Soihci VT oiS kitchen, yelling at the top of its lungs. The baby's cradle was turned upside down in the center of the room. !.
 ''When Mrs Frey recovered from her dazed condition, which was not for some time, she gave her recollection of the occurrence She was rolling out bread dough on the table, mound of flour lying before her. The baby was asleep in its cradle. Suddenly she heard a strange and loud buzzing in her head and felt herself being lifted bodily from the floor That was all she knew of what had happened. The terrific report of the meeting currents on the roof she had not heard. There was no sign of any damage inside the house, but in some strange way the lightning had lifted Mrs Frey from the floor and plumped her down on the table and had tumbled the cradle upside down and carried the baby across the room and dumped it unharmed in the basket of clothes. The mound of flour had ! been swept clear from the table and scattered from head to foot over Mrs Frey. The lump of bread dough she was rolling out was cut in two in the middle as if it had been done with knife. One-half remained on the table, the other half being wrapped com pletely around Mrs. Frey's hand Aside from a severe nausea that troubled Mrs. Frey all the rest of the day. neither she nor the baby suffered