The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-13
FREAKS OF LIGHTNING
REVERSAL OF FORM FIR
MEDIEVAL sUPEasTITIoNs CON. CERNING ELECTRICAL STORMS
In the Middle Ages Men Rang Church Bells to Warn Away the Supposed Evil
 Spirits.

During the middle ages in Europe against devils, and bells were rung as an additional inducement for the evil spirits to keep away. As lightning was suppos- ed to be satanic manifestation, the bells were rung during severe storms un- til so many people had been killed by the lightning running down the rope that the practice was finally abandoned. On one occasion. in the town of Chsbenil; near Valence, eleven men employed in ringing an enormous bell were struck and seven were instantly killed.
 Arago, the philosopher tells of the chief of a band of brigands, who, while waiting execution in the courtyard of a prison in Bavaria, was struck and in stantly killed by flash of lightning. His companions. believing that heaven had singled out their chief for punishment, became so penitent that they were finally pardoned. A prisoner was killed in a house in Massachusetts. the other peo- pie in the same apartment with him re- maining unbarmed Investigation disclos- ed the probable cause of his death. It was discovered that a saw was suspended in the attic directly over his head. while the wall. The lightning struck the roof and thus found direct passage through the house.
 Flashes Ten Miles Long.
 Flammarion, the French scientist, re- lates some remarkable instances Of the freaks of lightning The flashes. which are sometimes more than ten miles in length, have been known to kill man, completely consuming his body but leav- ing him in the exact position which he occupied in life, He states that In lsSS tUok refuge from a storm beneath lin- den tree. Some time after the storm had passed peasants seeing them standing greeting touched them on the shoulder. when the bodies instantly crumbled to tine ashes. There were no evidences of injury to them, the clothing being intact and their faces wearing a natural ap- pearance. A similar occurrence is said to have taken place July 27, 1891. its truth fulness being vouched for by Pastor But Ter, who was an eyewitness, Ten har- refuge under a hedge. During the storm d bolt of lightning struck and killed four of them who remained as, if .petrihed. One of the men was just thutting bit of tobacco in his mouth, another was playing with a little dog which he held with one hand while he fed him with the | other. After the stroke they retained these positions, as though they had sud- denly been turned into stone.
 Life-like in Death.
 M. Garden tells how eight harvesters | while taking their monday lunch under z maple tree were overtaken by @ storm and all killed by single stroke of light | ming When their. companions approach. l | they seemed to be still engaged with | their repast. One was raising a glass tC
 drink. another was taking a piece o
 bread, while a third was reaching out | his hand toward a plate.
 | Many instances gre related of narrow
 escapes during electric storms. Brace,
 lets have been melted from a lady's arm
 without injuring the flesh. A German
 writer tells how a peasant girl had z gold hairpin absolutely dissipated by a lightning stroke without injury to her | or any damage done to her hair. Candles
 have been tipped over, carpets ripped UT and portions of clothing torn away with.
 out personal injury. September 10. 1S45
 1t is related that house at Selagnac
 France. was struck by lightning. A large ball of fire came down the chimney ana
 rolled across the floor of a room in which | sat child and three women. None o1
 these was hurt. The ball then relied ou through the kitchen passing close to tho
 feet of a young peasant, and disappeare;
 through a crevice in the wall. It fipally
 landed in the pig sty the harmless occu pants of which it despitefully slew with
 out setting fire to the straw on whicl the creatures lay.