Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1877 — He Loved The Lightning. [ARTICLE]

He Loved The Lightning.

The other day, during a thunderstorm, a man came into a Milwaukee i saloon, and, liuirying up to the bar, I said excitedly; ‘ ‘ Give me a glass of the best brandy |in the house. I need it.” When the glass was filled, he held it between his fingers and said : “ Stranger, I don’t drink, but this is a fearful storm, and a man is liable to be struck by light Ding ; brandy is a nonconductor, and I have never been struck by lightning from the fact that I always drink brandy during a storm.” After he * had drained the glass he rolled his eyes around the room once or twice. “ That was a vivid flash, just now,” :he said. “Lightning is a dangerous j element, but to me it is a glorious thing; 1 its flash is sunshine to mine ears, j Stranger, I love the lightning ; it lulls ; me to sleep at night; it cheers me when jin the morning I awake. Give me | another glass of brandy. ” As the barkeeper poured out the liquor he said: “Benjamin Franklin solved the mysj tery of lightning, but before he flew his | kite he drank a pint of old cognac. ! Sometimes I think I am old Ben, draw- ; ing lightning from the clouds and bot- | tling it up. That was a magnificent ; peal,” he said as the thunder resounded ; with a fearful crash. “1 am from a scientific! family, partner, I can post yon a little on lightning,” he said, with a knowing look. “Whenever a thunderstorm comes up I drink two or three glasses of brandy, and you have a better protector than a lightning-rod. Better take a glass now.” He smiled as the barkeeper took a drink, and went on : “ Lightning is .produced iu the following manner : When two clouds, charged with different kinds of elec- | tricity, approach each other, they exi change their fluids, and this gives us the flash of lightning the shock makes a big noise and we call it thunder.” i He looked around the room and saw i that the back-door was open. He knew’ i that if he unhooked the front door the ! wind would blow it shut, and he smiled, this lover of lightning did—and he was i happy. ! “ Now,” said he, “I will illustrate my I last remark. ” He stepped out, and as he passed the door it was unhooked. “ There, away to the south aro -two big Hack clouds approaching each other.” The door was slowly and surely blowing shut. “ Soon they will meet, and I will see another display of my beloved element. Oh, let the rain pour in torrents; let tue lightning flash with its aerial splenj dor; let the thunder ” There was a j slam as the door blew shut, and the bari keeper heard no more. He s.iw that his , scientific customer was in no hurry i about returning, and as he opened the i door the truth flashed upon him. As he looked up the street and saw no one, he realized that the man who loved lightning had gone from his shop forever.—Milwaukee Courier.