The sun., 1897-06-20
FREAKS OF LIGHTNING.
THEY NAVE SAVED As VEIL As DE
STROTED HUMAN LIVES.
Tho Notion That LixhtulnE Never His the
Same spot Twice IL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Melted Out to Lucky Bawson-Feud settled
by tho Fiuid-Chiid saved from Lion.

Tho Notion That Lightning Never Hts the
Same spot Twice IL Erroneoua-Puniuhraene
Melted Out to Lucky Lawspn-Feud settled
by the Finid-Chiid saved rrom Lion.
From the ST. Louis Globe. Democrat
CEDAR BAYOU, Tex, June 10.-A paragraph
In an inland paper of recent date calls TO mind
Lucky" Lawson. well.known sea Captain on
the Texas coast several years ago. He .
big, bluc.eycd Swedo, and about the most pro-
fame man that over trod ships deck. But the
ship owner who could secure Lawson to run his
vessel was considered Fortunate for II mnIo no
difference, 1t seemed however hard tho wind
might blow or In whatever direction 10
might be, whom he was ready 10 sail
tho weather was good enough, and the wind
had Mt least a slant in II. If It not cEs
actly fair But Lawson was wickedly pro-
fame, and the thunder and lightning especially,
called 1t forth in oil its hideousnc rs more often
than anything elso, 1t uncommon sight,
when the thunder pcalcd the lou cat, when the
lightnings rent the black sky above him. and the
water foamed with phosphoresccnt light all
around him to soc him stand baichendod. his
broad face turned upward, his clonched hands
upliftcd, cursng everything. aud roaring do
nance at the disturbed elements and thu rulers
OF tho universe
Tho newspaper paragraph mentioned gives
the ending of " Lucky" Lawson's life as followsi
several years past, and known far and wide AZ
Lucky Lawson. met with q sudden death
Monday evening last. Mr.. Lawson had been at. Y
tending the big camp meeting and revival at
Elm Grove, where he was converted last week,
and was returning home. On his way home,
during the thunder storm of that evening, he
was struck by lightning and instantly killed"
The accounts Of the notorious Dickson. Burn.
ham feud down on Big Bushy filled many
Nm onar plp f,,, 7.
said then that 1t had cost tho two warning fao-
tions over twenty lives. It came to q sudden
end last summer. At that time only two males
OF the two factions remained the others having
either left that part Of tho country or been
killed. The last OF the Dicisons was an old
man, over 40. and the only remaining Burnham
ayouth OF 1s. week before the final ending
OF the feud these two had met at the store, and
only for the timely Intervention of some mutual
peaceful friends their differences would have
been settled then and there. and would perhaps
have left one survivor TO claim the victory AZ
1t was. they wero prevailed upon TO part, and
each went his way vowing to kill the other.
1t was Saturday. Early that morning young
Burnhom rode across the country to intercept
old man Dickson on his way to tho store. Tho
road the old man had TO come lay partly through
the timber along Big Bushy. The timber had O
dense underground OF twining vines AMI high
Eoou pluCc ana tncrc young
Burnham tied his horse and lay In waiting. 40
his back was tall cottonwood tree, in front of
him was an opening among the vines and pal
mettoes. giving good view OF the road, and
across his knees lay the old Winchester rife
which had been his fathers, and which, IL was
claimed. had slain nearly dozen Dicksons,
ready for use. There sounds Of distant
thunder and faint flashes Of lightning in the air,
but as the time passed both increased in volume
nd vi IL RI +ho
of a horses hoofs then horse and rider came in
view. 1t was old man Dickson. Young Burn
ham raised the Winchester to his shoulder,
waited moment. and then pulled the trigger.
Simultaneous with the flash OF the gun there
vas vas vivid fash Of lightning. and a q clap Of
horse galloped away riderless. While in the mid
dle of the road the old man lay dead, shot
,hrouSh me heart: with his back still against
ting, his face black and scorched. his eyes ster.
ing wide. and on the ground beside him lay the
gun; Its barrel bent and twisted out of shape By
the lightning.
In one OF the churches in Nechez City a few
years ago there was a stormy meeting between
the members and the preacher in charge Tho
meeting broke up Mt last, and the preacher was
When he reached the street, however he was
joined by one Of the members. who had Jagged
was obduratc. and would not recede an inch
s @ s He Thsn ths
member became discouraged and dsgusted.
me II the Lord caused n thunderbolt 10 strike
our church and rend it from dome TO founda-
ton. The preacher smiled dis ianfully, but
the next momen, there came a binding flash Of
lightning and deafening crash OF thunder. and
they had just left they saw that the lightning
had struck 4; and that its stcepie and roof had
The saying that 1.-THE lightning never strikes
twice twice IN l, the same place" must be revised, be-
rose, laden with lumber from n Louisiana port,
and bound for Mexico was caueh, in n thundef
by lightning and shattered pretty badly One Of
the men ran forward to lower the foresail. when
the lightning struck the mast once more, shat.
tering Il completely and killing the man The
time between the two thunderbolts was not over
Lightning and blackbcrrics come together in
the coast region OF Texas. The people there,
former. An exception TO The rule exists thero
to-day. however, in Mrs. Pennington OF Plum
lightning has done her moro good than all the
b!aCkberries in creation gould possibly accom-
small cearn erW IN wheh @ ibe S@S IS
day Mrs, Pennington went there to pick
baby girl with her The baby grow tired in q
little, while and tho mother ARRANGED bed OF
bush In few minutes the child was asleep.
and tho mother resumed her berry picking. It
fun OF electricity ana not a breath OF wind stir
ring gnnywhcrc. g A sqnSll WAS coming M rap
my, from, the east, the iiShtninS showing
dimly on its upper, edge, but Mrs. remington
was apparently ohlivious to the approach OF
tho storm, glad only that the baby slept so we'll
and gave her so little trouble. Dnt it was
not the storm alone that threatened danger.
Al the very edge OF tho thicker, aud oaly few
feet from the sleeping baby. its eyes cleaning.
its head laid tiat on the ground aud ITS tail lash
Ing its tawny sides huge Mexican lion was
crouching, ready to spring For moment 10
dug It's hind paws ncryousy into the ground,
and then it lcapcd into tho air. II fell dc al only
loud peal OF thunder cause Mrs Pcunngton to
look around Tor the safety of her child. The baby
awokc looked up and smiled.