The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-06-27
ESSEX
Liehtnins-LabOr QusstlOn-Cannlne Black
berries-MosqultOes.
huntsville, Va, June "a.

huntsville, Va, June ~.
Lightning struck an old shade tree In
"A ward in TappahannOck during one OF
the fearful electric storms. and the bolt
followed. as far as could be- traced the
same course taken 10y bolt which
struck the same tree IN about the same
spot about year ago. That lightning
never strikes in the same place twice X
an exploded theory now. Speaking oil
this reminds me: There is "A piece Ot woods
between huntsville and Wares Wharf
where lightning has struck more fire.
uuently in the same small area than any
other spot ever heard of 80 far ~ my in
formation goes Mr.. Robert l.. War;.
the owner of the property, thinks 1t
probable that then. may be- deposit oi
some metallic substance which attracts
the lightning. rs far ~ can be- seen,
there is nothing peculiar about the spot
Just ordinary forest trs's, pines and
onks and such others common To tins
section. But tree after tree has been
blasted by bolts of lightning. On Tues
day night. while MIR. Willard ilOskins
and Mr.. Deane Hundley Were returning
from the upper portion of the county,
lightning struck "A phone pole, and was
conducted for miles before II was
grounded Mr.. Hoskins gives n vivid
description of the phenomenon. llesays
ne SAW "A gnat ball of fire rolling along
the wires and now and then il would pop
like "a pistol. lie says up To that time
they had been driving under the wires,
but after these explosion. he made his
horse hug the other side of the road ~
gardlcss of gullcys and other obstruc-
tions. There is a colored man living
near here 80 much afraid Of lightning,
that he will throw every kind Oi metal
ont of his pockets, including dimes and
dollars. wnen they are in evidence. II he
chances 10 be- caught out in "A storm.
Billy" ! said 10 him once when he was
expressing himself about his fears OF the
subtle fluid. suppose YOU had "a brand
new gold watch IN your pocket, what
would YOU do with that? You know
lightning follows gold. Man, Id fling
= far e. could Z save my llie-tling
everything away, gold and money and
knife and ANYTHING got bout me dat
draws lightning. Would you 90 back
there next day and get your watch?
"Oh. YES. sar. | would git il, but de
next time il got to laundering ana
lightning round me I'd fling 1t away
agin. D'want nothing like that around
me in thunder and lightning storm, no
how" And speaking of lightning ~
minds NE To say that our rains recently
have been 50 heavy that not only are
hill sides and roads washed to pieces
nearly. hut even on level land the corn in
some places has been washed out Oi the
ground. Fortunately there have been
cessatiuns OF the storms sufficiently long
To permit farmers To save good crops oi
clover hay.
The labor question il most serious
one here now. All Of the colOred people
who are here. have their own crops to
work. And they cannot be tempted 10
leave them for love or money. The corn
and the grass are running a race. with
the grass ahead at this writing. The f..
". krietc 4 Go. canning factory Is IN
full blast packing blackberries. Mr.
krictr informed me that he worked
white labor almost exclusively thissping
while packing peas. Ii must come To
tbat with all OF tx soon. or let our lands
20 To waste. The unmarried colored
laborers go up North every spring. and
there they stay until severe weather. aud
then back they come with their savings
for winter ratiOms. They an of no
service in any season to the farmers herr.
Mosquitoes have had falling out with
the people on the river fats. and herr
they all have come To remain with ~ on
the hills until peace il established. Well,
some Of them will never return 10 their
native heath. for with old rags and
country tobacco burning IN great piles,
their numbers will diminish somewhat
at least. The forester hates mosquito
a. he does snakes But the river-sider
fattens from their bites and accounts
their "zeeing' sweet song ana the
queen Of lullabies Strange how we be-
come used To things