Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-10-01
This is what my paper showed:

This is what my paper showed:
Never will crap, rap, rap) consent
under existing Crap, rap-a grating
noise, probably caused by the wire be-
ing held against the lightning rod by
the force of the winD the property re-
moved (raps) place to bring you (raps)
hid where (raps) never find (raps) talk
wisdom shall (raps) night and take
(raps) dollar will you ever"
Right here the garnet was flooded by
binding glare, and Immediately fol-
lowed crash on crash close above me.
Stunned by the noise and too dazed
for the moment to realize that the
threatening storm had burst, feebly
tottered toward the stairs and sank
down upon the top step.
The rain was coming down In tor.
rents and the roar on the roof seemed
but an echo of the thunder. was soon
able to arouse myself from my dazed
condition, and, remembering the OBJ
ject of my errand, went back to the
spot where had stood to recover the
paper and pencil, which had fallen
from my hands. There was no desire to
continue Investigations while the storm
lasted; SO, picking up the paper. l
hastened downstairs to my room.
noticed strange odor as 1 went
through the doorway, and saw Sonntag
standing in the middle of the room in
strange attitude. The pencil he had
used was still in his hand, but the paper
had futtered to the floor.
The old lawyer not seeming to notice
my approach, I tapped him on the arm.
He gazed around at me with wide, star
ing eyes, then drew a long breath.
What was it that happened?" he
finally asked.
"Oh, did you catch it. too? Nothing
but little demonstration of electrical
force" replied. "It was quite close
to us. The house must have been struck
by the bolt; or perhaps the lightning
rod saved it,"
"It was awful" the old fellow ex.
claimed. There was stream of fire
reached half way across the room. 1t
came from the wall there, right near
the chimney. Well, it's over, and Meth
er of us hurt" The old fellow shook
himself together. "After this, no more
experimenting in electricity for me, es-
pecially during thunderstorm. I'll
stick toto the Jaw" he said, with n
flash of his bright eyes which told me
he had recovered from the effects of
the shock.
'Then you did not take any note OF
the voice?" I remarked.
Eyes, yes. Here it is; and you ?-ah,
that's good. Now let us compare"
The two slips of paper were laid on
the table. "The first words taken note OF
on my paper" Sonntag began, "are, you
have my-then pause, and yours are:
Never will. Ali" he exclaimed, in deer
satisfaction, "they seem to run along
well together. Now you begin and read
and where the raps are indicated pause
and Twill put in my words. Let's see il
we can get any sense out of it.
This is what we read.
'Never will"
"you have my"
consent under existing"
circumstances you have broken
faith with me in every"
"way why was"
"the property removed
"from the original"
"place to bring YOU"
ito time what did you do with ii
safely"
"hid where
you can"
"never find"
at unless you"
talk wisdom shall"
"go for it this very"
might and take"
ut away and not one
dollar will you ever"
fright here is where the SHOCK
fame," said, after reading the las,
phrase. "Of course took no more
notes after that. Have you any more ~
mo. The flame came, and I got nc
further" Sonntag answered. "This
certainly is curious. There seems to be
complete circuit formed somehow, or
more properly, two circuits; when one
is closed the other is opened by that
closing, and vice versa"
H'nie AnahlhS Tue foregoing remark
the old fellow was leaning over the
table, intently scanning the two papers
"1ou say flame shot out into the
room?" 1 asked.
EYES,"
From whereof"
Between the window and chimney, il
seemed to be-" he replied, without lift.
ing his head.
stepped over to the place indicated
There was large nail sticking in the