The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-06-16
THE CASE OF
PETER STRIKER


Striker, and up to the age Of twenty
he had a reputation OF moving more
grass and cutting more corn than any
other naan, old or young, IN the town
ship OF Dubois.
When yonng man has reached the
age OF twenty-one he becomes his own
boss. There are farmers yet who viii
not have ii so, but will keep son on
until he simply gets up and declares
his legal right. At twenty Peer ask
ed his father for his time--that Is, he
wanted his legal rights "a year ahead
Of time, as he had chance TO travel
about the country with lightning rod
man. The father refused.
Peter sat down under the big pear
tree at the corner of the house to think
things over. As he thought he fell
asleep. and as he sleptta thunder show
er came up. Almost the first bolt
struck the tree. and few minutes
later he was found with his boots
burned of. his old silver watch melted
and in an unconscious condition. The
doctor who revived the young man
told his father that the victim might
never be able to work again and that
he must have the best OF care TO keep
him from the grave. AS matter OF
fact. the doctor was all wrong. Peter
had got mixed up with thunderbolt.
but the damage. outside OF the nervous
shock, amounted to nothing. However,
when the doctors words were over.
heard It Wis a cue for Peter. He had
been working hard. and there was his
chance to loaf. For month he had
TO be carried about.
Haying time arrived. and Peter was
conveyed TO the shade OF a tree down
by the meadow That he might watch
the men at work and wish he were
one OF them. BY and by three or -four
bumblebees that had been disturbed
nsar by came along and hoped on %
him The pain OF their stings jumped
Peter TO his feet and sent him run
ming for ten rods before he rcmem.
bered HIS helpless condition.
Then a doctor was called IN. He felt
OF Peters fairness hnd heart about his
race with the bees, but instead OF pro
nouncing him able to 90 into the hay
field and sweat his shirt. as he really
was. Il was diagnosed as a case where
sudden excitement had revived the
muscular hctlon for moment.
Corn planting had come round again
and the father was working In a field
near the highway when a man came
along pushing a cart before him. He
WIS bound to the village. and in the
cart was big electric battery. such
as takers travel from town to town
with. The man was halted. and the
farmer climbed the fence to see all
about the machine. After he had been
gwen a shock free gtatis he asked:
The stun In there Is Che same as
lightning. ant itg'
Just about the same"
ut will shock a Teller 30 he won't
know anything!"
1T surely will. II I should turn on
the full current you couldn't let 20 Of
the handles"
Then the father told abou; Peter be
ing shocked. and when he had finished
the man said:
Electricity works two Why's. One
shock win cripple man. and the next
viii restore him to his presi;ne vigor.
What your son wants Is another
shock. II u cures you are TO give me
a dollar. II I, doesn't you need no.
give me anything"
Il was planned that Peter must be
deceived, AMI the plan was dlrried
cut He was sitting In a rocking chair
on tho yeranda. and the faker and his
machine were escorted there. and The
father explained:
Pete, you have been going buck on
corned beef for the last month. AMI
here 10 something 10 sharpen your ap-
petite. You take hold % these ere
handles. and It's like taking a tonic. 4
I'm as hungry as a bear now"
''But tho doctors all sad my disc
mustn't be experimental with" pro-
tested Peter. who scented some trick.
"Oh. this Is no experiment, when
Teller loses his appetite The doctors ex.
pect him 10 get II back the beat way
he can. want 10 see you pitching
Into the fried pork and taters tonight.
Take right hold. my SON."
Peter took hold. and the current was
turned on full. He wss frozen 10 the
handles and yelled blue murder. After
fifteen seconds Il was turned on. hnd
he jumped up and threw the fakcr
and HIS machine on the vcranda ami
heavc1 the father after them. Then.
without word. he grabbed a hoe and
started for the cornfleid. In three
hours he did more work than his A
Their had done all day. and II was
rsckoned that he sweat on ten pouncs
Of fat. lie acknowledged that he was
A. good as new. After supper he milk.
cd four cows. fed the hogs and ca.
ried In the wood for breakfast. At
midnight he got up 10 20 10 work
again. lie couldn't sit stu for a mo
men. He worked and sweat and
swat and worked. and at the end OF
two weeks. there being no more press.
ing work on hand, he tried 10 carry
the smokehnuse 70 new site on his
back lind collapsed and died. Tho first