The morning times., 1896-07-12
Hats that Act as Nom
conductors Place Look
ing Glass Over Heart
and Wooden Shoes on
Your Feet.

resistance that the lightning becomes brok-
| en- up in the efforts to get through the
air. The wind affects it, too, And when
| it touches the ground 1t Is long zig gag
streak OF hgnt that il beautiful as il lis
fatal. In this wavering downward course
| IL is atCraGLed 10 all IAIngs tnaJ conduct
| 1t easily.
Many people who are in constant fear of
| lightning stuff their clothing with straw
| to certain extent. IL they are cycling
| through an open country, and are certain
| a storm is Coming up, no if they cannot
| tarry for 1t to go by, they put layer
of straw-a mont IonduCt TORN their cloth
| ing, q nd speed along confident Of no harm.
Theoretically man should wear a light
| ming rod in his hal if he would escape he
ing struck. This would work in many cases.
but there would be fatality once out OF
| three times, and the fatal stroke would
| kiil-deadi Not shock, but actually Kill,
| burning the man TO char.
The theory of lightning rod is a sharp
point which shall attract the lightning
The lightning runs along the rod, down the
side of the house and is lost In tie ground.
In looking for place TO hit, the lightning
stroke found something. As the Lightning
runs down the rod the house is scorched by
the line of fire, and sometimes quite i'll
jured: but nothing TO what 1t would have
been IL that lightning stroke would have
distributed itself evenly ali over the roof.
If a man We're to act on this principle
and should stick lightning rod in his hat,
the lightning would be attracted by it and
would pass along the rod into the mans
hat and SO down the spine-a decidedly un-
pleasant experience for him. The way TO
offset this would be to wrap the rod in
straw and bury the end in the earth. The
supersensitive lightning man would have to
take up his standstiil in an open field near
water. If possible. He would attach the
lightning rod 10 his hat and poke it down
his clothes. connecting the lower end with
the sheet of water. Thus fixed for 4 Storm
he could defy stroke This was tried
with dummy men-scaracrows in the field
and worked very well. 1t '.sa we'd the
lives'' of two OF the scarecrows, but
'.kiiled'' the third to the extent of ripping
off his coat and burning his framework.
The theory is good, but even lightning
dreaders hate to try it upon themselves.
PAPER SUITS.
The nice little document that insured
against lightning, by paper suits, invited
all men To dress in paper, and many are
trying it, 1t is certainly 4. good thing for
Summer excursions. and when you hear ti2.
thunder roll and see the first vivid flash IN
the air. run 10 your baggage and get your
newspaper and put il around you. n
Those who have watched lightning Say
it ruGs round and round upon the grounr
digging little holes and tearing up the
ground. II is pretty sight. if you can get
the nerve to enjoy it, Many people are
made deathly sick by lightning. This is not
fear. This is tecause the electricity in the
air Immediately preceding flashes OF
lightning has acted Gpon the nerves The
result is that trembling feeling consequent
upon what is called turning the stomach"
The electricity of these atmospheric dis
turbances does really turn the stomach.
throwing pc ople into shiver. Strictly
speaking. this is not fear. When such pco-
pie feel like rushing into closed room and
lighting the gas or the candles they are un-
consciously acting in Z highly scientific
manner. Those whose nerves are upset by
these atmospheric disturbances will find
1t highly beneficial to sit in u lighted room
with the windows closed.
A man WHO loves TO watch the lightning
in the fields. but whose wife endures tor
ture during his excursions into the storm.
dresses up hahituaily in paper Innings. and
with wooden soles to his shoes and a looking
glass in his pocket. goes forth and executes
dances of triumph. while she observes him
from her point OF vantage. a window.
Next thing there will tie insurance Cum
panies that guarantee You that you will
never be struck. But look out for themi
There will he a saving clause sotne where
that requires you always to dress up in
newspapers and sleep in feathers.