St. Landry democrat., 1893-05-27
SAVED BY LIGHTNING.

The effect of the electrical phenome
non on the nerves Of finely strung indi
viduals is not unlike that communicates
by sudden and severe fright when thu
controlling power of the brain seems ell
tlrely cut off from action. In persons O
stronger nerves the effect is not so grea
unless at some former period the ncrvou.
system has been severely shocked, anG
even stunned, by the force of an electric
current.
No person has had moro frequent dem
onstration of this fact than myself.
| am strong and robust by nature and
would scorn the idea of being nervous.
have several times been placed in Pc
culiarly dangerous positions, whc. c con
siderable nerve and pluck were required
'or the right performance of my duty.
and on all such occasions have acquitted
myself to the satisfaction of all NV
friends. But brave and strong as am
I'D in the face of most dangers, am weak
Band helpless in a heavy thunderstorm.
Since certain memorable night in
1893 have been absurdiy susceptible to
the influence of electricity in any form.
and it is an easy matter for me to predict
a rising storm long before it has come up
by the condition of the atmosphere and
the effect it has upon my nerves.
was telegraph operator at small way
station on northern railway My duties
consisted in signalling the trains that
passed by my door, selling tickets and
acting as operator.
These combined duties kept me busy,
and as there was scarcely house within
two miles of the station, the ouietncss
OF the place would have been unbearable
had been at leisure to notice it. But
when my work was finished, late in the
afternoon, | always found q short time
to devote to reading before tic evening
express came in, and this was soon looked
forward to with genuine delight bv me
as a relief from my other duties.
Inc eqprc WAS not always up to time.
and frequently found myself waiting
until s o'clock before she arrived, read.
ing, walking and otherwise passing the
time as pleasantly as possible.
l was engaged i'll the former occupa-
ton rather earlier than usual one warm.
sultry afternoon in August.
The weather had been so excessively
hot that had been compelled to Law
aside all superauous garments and to do
my work in my shirt sleeves. 1t was
just such day as always closes with
heavy thunderstorm.
About o'clock the atmosphere began
to change. A few clouds appeared upon
the western horizon, and the sounds of
distant thunder could be family heard.
a gentle breeze swayed the pines and
rustled the green leaves of the tall oaks.
l thought at the time that it had q
mourntul, ominous sound, and as the
distant cry of loon fell upon my car az
unaccountable shiver ran through me.
l laughed at MY own fears and arose
from my feet to dispel all gloomy
forebodings, and began to lock up things
around the frcighthousc before the storm
was upon me. When this was finished.
| returned to my seat and watched the
clouds scud across the now dark heavens.
In little. while the rain began to de-
scend IN torrents, pattering upon the tin
roof OF the station house like Ieaden bull
lets. The thunder pealed out with
heavy reverberations, and the lightning |
was fairly binding.
| closed up my instrument in the office
and did not approach it again until the
storm had passed. To have tampered
with 1t in such tempest would have been
folly. The lightning, as it were, PLAYED
with the wire and the keys in an I'm
pleasant manner and made me move far
Their away from it.
For half an hour the storm continued !
with undated fury, and all along the
track little rivers of rainwater were surg
ing and rushing. The afternoon had
grown suddenly dark, and it was impos-
sible to discern an object twenty wards
OF. The usual time for the arrival of
the evening express had passed, and still
no indication of her coming had been re-
celyed. This did not seem strange to me
as there was some danger of the track
being washed out at different CROSSINGS
lnd 1T was probable that some delay
would be caused.
ielt the lonesomeness of INV position
extremely that night. When [ glanced
out OF the window into the murky dark
ness and heard the fitful rush of the
wind through the pines and trenble at
he heavy crash of the thunder, was
orce.. to admit that I did not en- Joy the
Twice / went out on the platform to
zee II | could hear anything of the CON-
ng train, but on each occasion was met
With such blast of wind and rain that
vas only too glad to seek the shelter of
he house again.
When the small Office clock struck 0, I
' : stand it no longer, but DOMINIC my
ally forth again. As did SO the shrill
hriek of woman greeted my astonished
ars.
At first | concluded that it was the
york Of the wind, but second time the
~ rose above the storm, clear and dis
met. There was no mistaking the sound,
7 was the CRY Of Q woman In distress.