The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-11
BY GODS HAND
CURE EFFECTED
WITH BOLT OF LIGHTNING
MRS. w. II. LEOPOLD's SUFFERING
FROM RHEUMATISM CEASED.

binding Flash That Carried Away
Chimney of Her Home at No. $40
WhIdburE Street, East, Gave Mrs.
Leopold Instant Relief-Was Sit
ting in Family Room with Two
Children When Electric Current
Went TinsIing Through Her
Body.
By the same bolt Of lightning that
demolished a chimney on her home
during the severe electric storm early
yesterday afternoon, Mrs. William T.
Leopold of No. 319 Waldburg street.
east, was relieved of inflammatory rheu-
matism with which she has been a suf-
ferer several years.
1t was while Mrs. Leopold was seat
ed in the family room with two chill
dren that the cure came, and so quick
ly that she was well before she real
lied what had happened. The lightning
tingled through her system and in a
moment she felt we'll.
The bolt which wrought the miracu-
ious work came down the chimney,
knocking several bricks off as it intro
duced itself into the narrow funnel.
After it was all over the family re-
member to have seen a blush flame in
the fireplace, which knocked the CRATE
around and played havoc with the fix
lures generally.
Almost Chronic Invalid.
For several years Mrs. Leopold has
been troubled with inflammatory rheu-
matism, and had almost become an in
valid from the disease. At times the
pain was great and she searched
eagerly for a remedy, but only found
temporary relief Apparently her af
fiction was too insidious for the skill
of the practitioner and only a day or
two ago she was advised by her ply
stefan to visit some resort.
All day yesterday Mrs. Leopold suf-
fered from her malady and it seemed as
if the pain had concentrated on one
side around her left shoulder. AS she
nursed the pain she prayed for relief.
At the very moment of her cure,
when the pain seemed intense, tongue
of fire played about the fireplace and
the electricity emanating from it leap
ed the intervening space.
Though the pain apparently ceased,
Mrs. Leopold attributed it to the ex-
element from the unusual experience
she had just gone through, and when
she grew more calm and the pain still
did not appear she concluded that her
nerves must have been benumbed by
the lightning.
After testing the shoulder and find
ing that there was feeling there,
she was forced to the con-
clusion that in some mysterious
manner a cure had been wrought.
The news was communicated to
the children and the family held a
small thanksgiving service over the
good fortune of the mother.
An hour or two after the event,
Mrs. Leopold was seen by a represent
tative of the Morning News Her face
was wreathed in smiles and she will
ingly told of the cure.
Describes Her Experience.
II hardly know how it happened, !"
she said. The lightning came down
the chimney and as we were all tingling
with the electricity, / heard the crash
of falling bricks and heavier sound,
which l suppose was the irving of a
telegraph post, which my little boy
later saw had been split open.
THE rheumatism was in my left
shoulder and the pain was throbbing
just a moment before the flash. In an
instant the pain was gone and though
thought that the relief was temporary
l was most thankful to find that it did
not return. 1t seems too good to be
true, and 1 only fear that the rheuma-
tism may return tomorrow.
II don't know how the cure was
brought about. felt the shock of the
electricity and for the instant feared
Before 1 had time to take a second
thought, it was all over. and the pain
was gone too I"