The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-17
Personal LIGHTNING ROD.
The Major Tells of an Ingenious
Germans Great Invention.

Germans Great Invention
Il see," said Maj. Blazen, as he took a
cigar out Of my vest pocket and pro-
ceeded to light, that the statistics
show that deaths from lightning are be-
coming more frequent every year."
We were sitting in the lobby of the
Occidental hotel, and the major had a
red-colored volume on his knee, which
he had been reading prior to my intru-
sion.
1 merely nodded, knowing that my
silence was more likely to draw him
into conversation than my words
He pulled vigorously at my cigar a
few minutes and then began:
Yes, sir, the deaths are becoming
more frequent every year, and 1 wonder
that no one in this country has ever in
vented patent lightning conductor
that could be carried about the person
by people living in the districts where
electrical storms are so frequent
A gain he puffed at his cigar, stop
ping only to eXpectorate thoughtfully
at cuspidor removed some two yards
from his feet. He did not hit it, but
the matter did not seem to worry him
much.
Talk about Yankee ingenuity" he
said presently, why, 1 know a Ger
man who beat us hollow. He was a
scientist of the first water and had a
trunk full of diplomas and all that sort
OF thing. l met him out in Buenos
Ayres some years ago, where, as you
know, electrical storms are very fire.
quent and of great force"
1 was not aware of any such thing,
but nodded again.
The major chewed a piece off his
cigar and pasted 1T on the white pillar
near his seat.
Yes, sir; storms are very frequent
ont there, and one year 1 remember
that deaths from lightning averaged
ten a day"
1 coughed, but the majors eyes were
fixed on the ceiling and he did not hear
me.
Zone morning the German scientist
came up to my apartments and said
that he had just completed a portable
lightning conductor which would make
his fortune, and which would soon b.
owned by every resident of Buenos
Ayres. He showed me three small rods
fitting into one another, the whole be-
ing about twelve feet long. The mid
die one of these was to be attached by
a strap to the wearers back; the lower
would then reach the ground, the top
one would project some feet into the
air, and the electrical current would be
carried directly into the earth. [ may
add that a small wheel was attached to
over the ground easily and not retard
the wearers movements. His object in
coming to me was to request me to
make trial with his patent before he
finally put it on the market"
The majors cigar had gone out, and
he proceeded to light it.
What was [ to do?" he asked me
after he had satisfied himself with a
few puffs. l merely waved my hand
THE afternoon promised to be a
stormy one," he continued, land so [
agreed to be on hand and risk my life
for his especial benefit. At o'clock
repaired to the place of meeting, a
lonely plaza on the outskirts of the
city, and just as the storm began to
break 1 took the three rods from him
ard began to adjust them. Peals upon
peals of thunder broke over the city,
and the lightning flashed every few
seconds. 1t was forked lightning, too,
sir, and I assure you it kept me jump
ing from side to side to avoid being
struck Fortunately" continued the
major looking at his shapely limbs,
A less agile person would have been
struck repeatedly, but 1 come of fine
old stock, sir"
He eyed me fiercely and I bowed
Finally 1 succeeded in adjusting the
three rods, attached them to my mid
die, and, upon my honor, sir, the light
ming slid down that rod in front of me
for two hours in one solid streak The
German scientist made a fortune, but
he died of apoplexy shortly afterward
Shall we drink, sir?" he continued, as
he took my arm. We did and 1 paid
for them.-San Francisco Call.