The sun., 1893-07-23
Dowr RELY ON LIGHTNING.
Hosry Old Conrecticut Traditions That
Have Becn Shattered for Good and AL

Ho.ry OLD Conrecticut Traditions That
Have Becn Shattered for Good and AL
NoRw1cH. July GAIT 10 q common say-
ing among Connecticut hill town farmers
that lightning never touches geese feathers
nor cats fur. and they might add that the
beech among trees is seldom or never hit
by a thunderbolt. It is because OF this that
nervous, old. homely bodies in rural Conneoti-
cut towns when they perceive big.
purple black thunder cloud showing itself
portentorsly above the western horizon on
a blazing summer afternoon. rush into their
bedcham bers. fling themselves on the bed.
and heaving deep sigh OF satisfaction solilo-
auizo In their inner consciousness, II they
don't make the comment audible: There. I'm
fixed now. Lightning can't tech mo on this
goose feather stuffed bed tick. so let things
hum"
As a rule this rough and-ready process Of
domestic Incarnation works to T. and the
thunder annals OF this antique and ancient
comm monvealth are without single record OF
an old woman that was touched up by Connec-
tiout lightning after she had once pumped
herself into feather bed-barring out Just
one. and that was the case OF a man. and
hoary old sinner at that. He was a bad man.
in this instance. too. an awful bad man. and
he got no more than he deserved.
lantern Ian jawed and leather tanned old farmer:
who titled the soil and drank forty casks Of
Sdsr dry Salem and town than
neck from a streak Of lightning on . eoose-
straightway., And on his tom bstone. under the
caves Of the little white porched church ip old
pensation pen Of divine Iroyidencel" u
ming. aud with not hall the luck that Ajax did.
He had been swearing all the forenoon. one
suty July day not es
great scowlipg thunder cloud came growing
hiLa out a bit. The old man had been getting
at along % ABOUT tES o'sioek he let himself loose at
and With onso strak wid whSSp Sss
tick OF geese feathers. hugged himself with
fEtS I'll voe % IN he
He turned peculiar yellow blue;hlsck hue
After a day or. SO and the family had picked
him. tho people buried him in q deep grave in
the Gungy graveyard and put tho queer in-
1t was in the same, old town Of Salem
thata thunderbolt played very singular prank
nd od eory Gfss p aG about chtnnr not
daring to fs @ eaf s1 nat on y
place" because Donald g; Mitchell wrote The
Reveries OF q Bachelor there moro than forty
years ugo There was q athunder cloud In the sky.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bailey were chatting in their
snug kitchen. Windows and doors were all
open. and the com Portable. sleek old house cat
dozpd under the kitchen table. No sign OF i'm
mediate danger. anywhere. but suddenly the
black bosom Of the cloud was cleft by a vivid
streak ruby red. zig gag. darling and blind:
ing javelin OF the sky was shot straight toward
White Oak Hill. through the open window
OF the Bailey kitchen. straight under the
kitchen table. and. presto 1t bagGed the light.
ming proof. snooZing old cat in one shot and
consd derRbly less than no time. Having got the
cat. the ronderous thunderbolt backed quietly
out OF the Ball cottage: Earring 1t bit, per-
hnps. hut not harminR Il blessed other thing.
and was Off with itself in a jiffy.
Mr.. bailey picked up the eatnhe loved 1t
sorrowfully: but 1t was no go. Fur didn't save
It. lt.hnd gone where rats and mice don't |
have holes. and tho celestial pantry door Is |
forever ajar-for cats. Lightning appears to |
he u rude aud ruthless iconoclast on sage and |
hoary traditions more especially in Con-
necucut Still again. Dogs also. as q rule.
are Believed TO be pretty nearly impervious to
oT-hand attacks BY thunderbots. but only a |
day or two ago lightning reached its long. |
wthering. arm into country farmhouse |
dog: He mover Kicked. It was. a ,bnll's-eys
shot. end never damaged auCht else on the |
promises. 1t :7as after the dog After u. tbs
never safe'to hank much on the steady habits |
Of thunderbolts. at least not in Connecticut.