The Portland daily press., 1893-02-15
SAVED BY LIGHTNING.

Inc 0lSCU u Gil0 C1tCUIlCssl PiCiiOAi1C
non on the nerves of finely strung indi-
viduals Is not unlike that communicated
by sudden and severe fright when the
controlling power of the brain seems en-
tirely cut off from action. In persons Of
stronger nerves the effect is not SO great
unless at some former period the nervous
system has been severely shocked, and
even stunned, by the force Of an electric
current.
No person has had more frequent DEM
onstration of this fact than myself.
! I am strong and robust by nature and
would scorn the idea of being nervous.
L have several times been placed in Pc
culiarly dangerous positions, where con-
siderable nerve and pluck were required
for the right performance of my duty.
and on all such occasions have acquitted
myself to the satisfaction of all my
friends. But brave and strong as am
in the face Of most dangers, am weak
and helpless in heavy thunderstorm.
Since a certain memorable night in
1883 have been absurdly susceptible to
the influence Of electricity in any form,
and it is an easy matter for me to pre-
dict rising storm long before 1t has
come up by the condition of the atmos-
lphere and the effect it has upon my
nerves.
was telegraph operator at a small
way station on northern railway. My
duties consisted in signaling the trains
that passed by my door, selling tickets
and acting as telegraph operator.
These combined duties Kept me busy,
and as there was scarcely a house within
two miles Of the station the quietness 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 short time
to devote to reading before the evening
express came in, and this was soon looked
forward to with genuine delight by me
as a relief from my other duties.
The express was not always up to
time, and I frequently found MYSELF
waiting until 8 o'clock before she ar
rived, reading, walking and otherwise
passing the time as pleasantly as possible.
Twas engaged in 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 lay aside
all superfuous 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.
I thought at the time that it had a
mournful, ominous sound, and as the
distant cry Of a loon fell upon my ear
an unaccountable shiver ran through me.
laughed at my own fears and arose
from my feet to dispel all gloomy fore
holdings, and began to lock up things
around the freighthouse before the
storm was upon me. When this was fin
Iished, returned to my seat and watched
the clouds scud across the now dark
heavens.
In litt1ewhile the rain began to de-
scend in torrents, psttering upon the tin
roof of the station house like leaden
bullets. The thunder pealed out with
heavy reverberations, and the lightning
was fairly binding.
closed up my instrument in the Of
fee and did not approach 1t again until
the storm had passed. To have tam
ipered with it in such tempest would
have been folly. The lightning, as it
was, played with the wire and the keys
In an unpleasant manner and made me
move farther 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 rashing. The afternoon had
grown suddenly dark, and it wss impos-
sible to discern an object twenty yards
off The usual time for the arrival Of
the evening express had passed, and still
no Indication of her coming had been re-
lceived. This did not seem strange to me,
las there was Some danger Of the track
being washed out at different crossings.
and it was probable that some delay
would be caused.
felt the consequences of my position
Extremely that night. When I glanced
Iout of the window into the murky dark
mess and heard the fitful rush of the
wind through the pines and tremble at
the heavy crash of the thunder, was
forced to admit that I did not enjoy the
situation.
Twice / went out on the platform to
see if / could hear anything of the COM
ing train, but on each occasion Twas met
with such blast of wind and rain that
Il was only too glad to seek the shelter of
the house again.
When the small Office clock struck 9, /
could stand it no longer, but donnlng
my cloth cap and coat opened the door
to sally forth again. AS did so the
shriH shrek of woman greeted my as
tonished cars.
At first [ concluded that it was the
work of the wind, but a second time the
cry rose above The storm, clear and dis
:tinct. There was no mistaking the sound.
II g ~, dicf1zoca