Joke On The Lightning Rod Man

Max Adeler tells this story in the Philadelphia Saturdaij Post. Up in Blossburg the other day a lightning rod man drove up in front of a handsome edifioe, standing in tho midst of trees and ehrubs, and spoke to Mr. Sunimers, who was sitting on the steps ia front. He aocosted Summers aa the owner of the residence and said ■ "Iseeyou have no lightning rod on your house." "No," said Summers. " Are you going put one on ï" "Well, I had'nt thought of it, replied Summers. " You ought to.' A tall building like that is very is much exposed. I'd like to run you up one of my rods ; twisted steel, glass fenders, nickle plated tips, everything conlplete. May I put one up to show you P 111 do the job cheup " "Certainly you inay if you want to, I havn't, the slightest objection," said Summers. During the next half hour the mui had his ladders up and his assistants at work, and" at the end of that time tho job was completed. He called Summers out into the yard to admire it. He said to Summers : " Now that is well enough, but if it was my house I'd have tinother put on the other side. There's nothing liko being protected thoroughly." " That's true," said Summers, it would be bottor." " I'll put up another, shall I r" asked the man. " Why, of course, if you think it's best," said Summers. Accordingly the man went to work again, aud soon had tho rod in its place. " That's a first rate job," said Summers, as they both stood eyeing it. " I liko such a man as you are. Big heartcd, liberal, not afraid to put a dollar down for a good thing. There's somo pleasure in dealin' with you, I like you so much that I'd xut a oouple more rods on that house, one on the north end and one on the south, for almost nothing." " It would make tbings safer, I suppose," said Summers. " Certainly it would. I'd better do it, hadn't I- hey ?" " Just as you think proper." Said Summers. So the man ran up'two more rods, and then came down and said to Sumïner, " There, that's done. Now Iets settle up." " Do what '(" "Why, the job's finished, and now I'll take my money." " You don't expect me to pay you, I hope V" " Of courso I do. Didn't you teil me to put those rods on your house ?" " My house !" shouted Summers. - " Thunder and lightning ? I never ordered you to put those rods up. It would have been ridiculous. Why, man, this is the court house, and I'm here waiting for court to assemble - I'm on tho jury. You secmed to be anxious to rush out your rods, and as it was nono of my business, I let you go on. Pay for it ! Come, now, that's pretty good." Tho Blossburg people say that the manncr in which the lightning rod man toro around town and swore wasfearful. But when ho got his rods off tho couit houso ho left permanently. Ho don't fancy the placo. An up-couutry exchange placod its condensed telegrama uuder the head of " Midnight Sparks." The next morniug the oditor received a cali from a young man who looked as though ho hadn't slept much, who wauted to know if anything personal was intended by that heading. " Mrs. Hopkins, why don't you sprinkle ashes on your icy sidowalk liko' Mrs. Bedun, your opposite neighbor, for the benefit of passers-by, and so imitate tho Good Samaritan ?" "Let passers-by imitato tho Priest and Levito, and pass by on the other aids ''