They had nothing to employ them just then, and I took them with me to have some one to talk to on the phenomenon of the lightning.

Below the window I found a large packet of iron wire, which I had brought from Tent House some days before, intending on some leisure day to make a sort of grating before our poultry-yard.

By what chance was it here, and hooked by one end to the roof of our house?
Some time before I had replaced our cloth canopy by a sort of roof covered with bark nailed upon laths; the cloth still enclosed the sides and front; all was so inflammable, that, but for the providential conductor, we must have been in flames in an instant.

I thanked God for our preservation; and little Francis, seeing me so happy, said-- "Is it quite true, papa, that this wire has preserved us ?" "Yes, it is true, my darling; and I wish to know what good genius has placed it there, that I may be thankful," said I.
"Ah! father," said my little fellow, "embrace me, but do not thank me; for I did not know that I was doing good." Astonished at this information, I requested my boy to tell me why and how he had fixed the wire?
"I wanted to reach some figs," said he, "when you and Fritz were at Tent House, and Jack and Ernest were nursing mamma; I wished to do some good for her.

I thought she would like some of our sweet figs; but there were none in my reach, and I had no stick long enough to beat them down.