The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-07

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Virginia Van de Water in Harper's Bazar.
SAVED BY A FLASH.
& Father, y said my son Donald to
me one day" father, how do they
take these wonderful photographs
of Lightning flashes that are printed
in The Strand Magazinea They don't
know when a flash is coming and
can't make it stay still while they
photograph it, can theya''
mot likely" I laughingly re-
piled. "The lightning takes itself.
If there is thunderstorm at night,
all that is necessary is to put a sem
sitiye plate in the camera, uncover
the lens and point it at the sky,
when the next flash of lightning
viii record itself upon the plate,
which must then be developed in
the usual way.
ssIs that ala" returned Donald.
How very easy! Couldn't we take
somef Do let us try"
: 6 All right, !" I replied, "but first
of all we must wait for a thunder
storm. So when there is another at
night get your Photographic traps
ready, and we'll see what we can
do. I"
Donald and were enthusiastic
cyclists, he being one of several
years standing, but I only since we
came to live here in Wood ford, on
the borders Of the New forest, as I
found livery convenient to ride to
the railway station five miles away
or to Salisbury or southampton.
as our village Lies midway on the
high road between those towns.
Charmed by the lovely forest
scenery, I had lately praoticed the
fascinating science Of photography,
and thereby secured many q beauti-
ful scene Of woodland glade Don
aid, too, SOON waxed enthusiastic
over it and many q cyclophoto-
graphic day did we spend securing
pictures Of the exquisite scenes that
abound around cur home.
The marvellous photos Of light
ming flashes that appeared in the
Strand had excited Donald Is wonder
and curiosity, leading to the con-
yersation with which this story
commences.
We. had not long to wait for a
thunderstorm; for ON that very
night ragged one OF exceptional vio-
lence. It began about II o'clock,
and Donald, who had retired to bed
some time before. burst into my
room fully dressed and shouted:
Come on, father. There's tre-
mendous thunderstorm coming up,
and such flashes Of lightningl I'm
off to the dark room to put some
plates in the slides, so get the cam
era ready. The front bedroom win
dow is the best place to expose
from. =
Here let me state that our house
stands about ten feet from the road.
side, and the view from our front
windows comprises theroad and the
common opposite us, small piece
Of waste land partly surrounded by.
the noble trees Of the New forest.
By the time that ! had made the
necessary arrangements at the win
dow, Bbnald rejoined me, bringing
three double dark slides loaded with
the sensitive plates. I'VE ought to
get at least one successful photo out
Of this lot, = said he,
Soon the storm, which had grad
ually been drawing nearer. burst
over uswith terrible fury, the light:
ming flashing with amazing brillian-
cy, the thunder rolling With deafen-
ing roars. One by one the plates
were exposed under conditions that
justified the expectations of good
results, and Dc >ald was in high
glee. just as was about to expose
the sixth and last plate he said:
why don't you take a fashight
photo Of the common with that one,
illuminated by the celestial electric
light, you knowi Point the camera
toward the center Of the common,
Just for fun. I'd like to see how it
comes out"
/ acted upon his suggestion, and
no sooner had / got the camera in
position than a flash Of lightning,
soviyid and brilliant in its intensity
as to momentarily blind us and
wiring from us afearsome and terri
fed "Ohl' imprinted the scene on
the sensitive plate.
"I'm glad that's the last plate, :"
said Donald when the deafening
peal of thunder allowed him to
make himself heard, "for I should
not care to stand at the window
during another such flash as that.
Shall we develop the plates to-
nighta"
"Not if 1 know it, / replied. "Be