166 THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 



NO. 50. TIM BUNKER ON LIGHTNING RODS. 



MR. EDITOR: &quot;What are you putting up that iron 

 thing on your barn for?&quot; asked Jake Frink, as we were 

 at work upon the last job about the barn, which I have not 

 yet said anything about in the American Agriculturist. 



&quot; I am going to have the barn finished,&quot; I said. &quot; We 

 want a rod just as much as we want windows in the frames, 

 or shingles on the roof.&quot; 



&quot; I guess the litenin 11 go where it is sent, rod or no 

 rod,&quot; observed Tucker, as he thrust a new piece of pig-tail 

 into his cheek. 



&quot; Wasn t Squire Rodman s house struck with lightnin 

 last week, though it had a rod on it ?&quot; asked Jones, trium 

 phantly. 



&quot; Yes, but the rod was joined with hooks and eyes, and 

 the connection was not perfect,&quot; observed Mr. Spooner, 

 who was one of the group. 



&quot; Don t you think you re provokin the Almighty by put- 

 tin up that rod ?&quot; asked Deacon Little, who has never for 

 given me for turning salt marsh into meadow, and rais 

 ing three tuns of herds-grass to the acre. &quot; You see,&quot; 

 continued the Deacon, in his favorite style of argument, 

 &quot; that what is to be, will be, and you can t help it by 

 lightnin rods or any other instrumentality. If it is decreed 

 that your barn is to be struck with lightnin, I gness iron 

 rods ain t goin to save it. A man better not tamper with 

 thunderbolts.&quot; 



&quot; Now,&quot; said I, &quot; Tucker, what have you got a chimney 

 to your house for ?&quot; 



&quot; Why, to carry the smoke oif, to be sure, and to keep 

 the house from burning up when we make a fire.&quot; 



&quot; Well,&quot; said I, &quot; won t the smoke go where it is sent, 

 just as much as the lightning ? And yet you don t find 



