Year: 1877

The recurrence with the hot wealth
er of thunder storms, and the number
of casualties thus early in the season
reported from that source, render the
subject of protection by lightning
rods of special interest, The striking
Of church in Europe Is lightning.
killing six and woundiag many more
persons, was lately mentioned, though
it is not stated whether the building
was defended by any Of the modern
appliances of safety from lightning.
A recent instance, however, is mem
toned by a Virginia paper, in which
lightning rod attached to building
failed to afford any security. The
rod attracted the lightning, but was
too small to conduct it to the ground.
and one portion of it passing away
from tho rod killed boy " } was
in the building.


The fact, however, ought not to
initiate against lightning rods prop.
erly conducted. Innumerable patents
have been granted in this country for
improved rods, most of which have
been devised by persons ignorant Of
the principles Of electricity. There
can be no doubt whatever of the util-
ity of this invention if the conductor
is constructed on definite scientific
principles. The rod should terminate
above in a single point, and be encas-
ed in hollow cone Of platinum. The
elevation Of the point Of rod should
at least be half the distance to which
its protection is intended to extend.
While it is we'll to adopt all precau-
tions against thunderbolts which ex.
perieace has shown to be best, it is
unwise to indulge apprehensions of
danger which, in comparison with
other causes of death, would scarcely
make result in the yearly records Of
mortality of one in thousand deaths.
VINO IS MARRIED ?-Apropos to the
fact that some of the New York pa
pers are advertising marriage engage.
rnents in their marriage, birth and
death columns. correspondent in
sists that the usual form of marriage
advertisements is egregriously srrone.
Gus. "Mr. Jones to Miss Smith" and
Mr.. Jones and Miss Smith, are not
correct statements, because the wo-
man is married to the man, loses her
name, takes his and her identity ID
entirely merged in him. The proper
announcement, therefore, is "Miss
Smith to Mr.. Jones'" But this theory
that Miss Smith is married and Jones
is not VIII not loom up gracefully to
that noble army Of Jonesss who have
daily. and striking Consciousness Of
being very much married"


NARROW ESCAPE OF Forty MEN.-
An immense cave took place at tho
Iron Ridge mines near Rolla, Mo-, on
Tuesday evening, the 22d ult., from
which forty men narrowly escaped
being buried alive. But FIVE minutes
previous to the cave taking place the
men were busily at work in the tun-
mel, when little dirt was noticed to
be dropping now and then and small
cracks discovered in various parts of
the roofs and sides. The attention of
the superintendent beng called to it
he ordered the men to go out of it.
No sooner than all were out Eve hun
dred tons of ore and earth came crush
ing in, filling up the tunnel where the
men were at work to the depth of
thirty feet. AS it was, what might
have been great calamity proved to
be one Of the most fortunate circum-
stances that ever happened to the
community.


BIBLE LORE IN KANsAs.-During
the trial of the noted Leavenworth
baby case, in which two women claim.
ed the same child, one of the lawyers
in the course of his remarks pointed
to the painting of Solomon ordering
the child to be served in halves and
divided between the two women. His
scriptural knowledge being small he
alluded to PLATE instead of Solomon.
The opposing counsel, supposing he
knew all about it, instantly jumped to
his feet and called him a fool, he
stating that the order was by Cesar.
and not by PLATE. After a heated
discussion they agreed to leave it to
the judge. His honor decided that
both the attorneys were talking on q
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