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couched in language somewhat rosier than the facts would warrant；
there were few persons calm enough to perceive it； when once
the glamour of the village parade and the smell of the menagerie
had intoxicated the senses。
The circus had been the sole topic of conversation for a fortnight。
Jot Bascom could always be relied on for the latest and most authentic
news of its triumphant progress from one town to another。 Jot was a sort
of town crier； and whenever the approach of a caravan was announced；
he would go over on the Liberty road to find out just where it was and what
were its immediate plans； for the thrilling pleasure of calling at every
one of the neighbors' on his way home； and delivering his budget of news。
He was an attendant at every funeral； and as far as possible at every wedding；
in the village； at every flag…raising and husking； and town and county fair。
When more pressing duties did not hinder； he endeavored to meet the two
daily trains that passed through Milliken's Mills； a mile or two from
Pleasant River。 He accompanied the sheriff on all journeys entailing
serving of papers and other embarrassing duties common to the law。
On one occasion； when the two lawyers of the village held an investigation
before Trial Justice Simeon Porter； they waited an hour because Jot
Bascom did not come。 They knew that something was amiss； but it was
only on reflection that they remembered that Jot was not indispensable。
He went with all paupers to the Poor Farm； and never missed a town meeting。
He knew all the conditions attending any swapping of horses that
occurred within a radius of twenty miles；the terms of the trade
and the amount paid to boot。 He knew who owed the fish…man and who owed
the meat…man； and who could not get trusted by either of them。
In fact； so far as the divine attributes of omniscience and omnipresence
could be vested in a faulty human creature； they were present in Jot Bascom。
That he was quite unable to attend conscientiously to home duties；
when overborne by press of public service； was true。 When Diadema Bascom
wanted kindling split； wood brought in； the cows milked； or the pigs fed；
she commonly found her spouse serving humanity in bulk。
All the details of the approach of the Grand Six…in…One
Show had； therefore； been heralded to those work…sodden
and unambitious persons who tied themselves to their own
wood…piles or haying…fields。
These were the bulletins issues：
The men were making a circle in the Widow Buzzell's field；
in the same place where the old one had been；the old one；
viewed with awe for five years by all the village small boys。
The forerunners； outriders； proprietors； whatever they might be；
had arrived and gone to the tavern。
An elephant was quartered in the tavern shed！
The elephant had stepped through the floor！！
The advance guard of performers and part of the show itself had come！
And the 〃Cheriot〃！！
This far…famed vehicle had paused on top of Deacon Chute's hill；
to prepare for the street parade。 Little Jim Chute had been gloating
over the fact that it must pass by his house； and when it stopped
short under the elms in the dooryard his heart almost broke for joy。
He pinched the twenty…five…cent piece in his pocket to assure
himself that he was alive and in his right mind。 The precious coin
had been the result of careful saving； and his hot； excited hands
had almost worn it thin。 But alas for the vanity of human hopes！
When the magnificent red…and…gold 〃Cheriot〃 was uncovered；
that its glories might shine upon the waiting world； the door opened；
and a huddle of painted Indians tumbled out； ready to lead
the procession； or； if so disposed； to scalp the neighborhood。
Little Jim gave one panic…stricken look as they leaped over
the chariot steps； and then fled to the barn chamber； whence he had
to be dragged by his mother； and cuffed into willingness to attend
the spectacle that had once so dazzled his imagination。
On the eventful afternoon of the performance the road
was gay with teams。 David and Samantha Milliken drove by in
Miss Cummin's neat carryall； two children on the back seat；
a will…o'…the…wisp baby girl held down by a serious boy。
Steve Webster was driving Doxy Morton in his mother's buggy。
Jabe Slocum； Pitt Packard； Brad Gibson； Cyse Higgins；
and scores of others were riding 〃shank's mare；〃 as they
would have said。
It had been a close； warm day； and as the afternoon wore away it grew
hotter and closer。 There was a dead calm in the air； a threatening blackness
in the west that made the farmers think anxiously of their hay。 Presently the
thunderheads ran together into big black clouds； which melted in turn into
molten masses of smoky orange； so that the heavens were like burnished brass。
Drivers whipped up their horses； and pedestrians hastened their steps。
Steve Webster decided not to run even the smallest risk of injuring so
precious a commodity as Doxy Morton by a shower of rain； so he drove into
a friend's yard； put up his horse； and waited till the storm should pass by。
Brad Gibson stooped to drink at a wayside brook； and as he bent over
the water he heard a low； murmuring； muttering sound that seemed to make
the earth tremble。
Then from hill to hill 〃leapt the live thunder。〃
Even the distant mountains seemed to have 〃found a tongue。〃
A zigzag chain of lightning flashed in the lurid sky；
and after an appreciable interval another peal； louder than
the first； and nearer。
The rain began to fall； the forked flashes of flame darted hither
and thither in the clouds； and the boom of heaven's artillery grew heavier
and heavier。 The blinding sheets of light and the tumultuous roar of sound
now followed each other so quickly that they seemed almost simultaneous。
Flashcrashflashcrashflashcrash； blinding and deafening eye and ear
at once。 Everybody who could find a shelter of any sort hastened to it。
The women at home set their children in the midst of feather beds；
and some of them even huddled there themselves； their babies clinging
to them in sympathetic fear； as the livid shafts of light illuminated
the dark rooms with more than noonday glare。
The air was full of gloom； a nameless terror lurked
within it； the elements seemed at war with each other。
Horses whinnied in the stables； and colts dashed about the pastures。
The cattle sought sheltered places； the cows ambling clumsily towards
some refuge； their full bags dripping milk as they swung heavily
to and fro。 The birds flew towards the orchards and the deep woods；
the swallows swooped restlessly round the barns； and hid themselves
under the eaves or in the shadow of deserted nests。
The rain now fell in sheets。
〃Hurry up 'n' git under cover； Jabe；〃 said Brad Gibson；
〃you're jest the kind of a pole to draw lightnin'！〃
〃You hain't； then！〃 retorted Jabe。 〃There ain't enough o'
you fer lightnin' to ketch holt of！〃
Suddenly a ghastly streak of light leaped out of a cloud；
and then another； till the sky seemed lit up by cataracts
of flame。 A breath of wind sprang into the still air。
Then a deafening crash； clap； crack； roar； peal！ and as Jabe
Slocum looked out of a protecting shed door； he saw a fiery
ball burst from the clouds； shooting brazen arrows as it fell。
Within the instant the meeting…house steeple broke into a tongue
of flame； and then； looking towards home； he fancied
that the fireball dropped to earth in Squire Bean's meadow。
The wind blew more fiercely now。 There was a sudden
crackling of wood； falling of old timers； and breaking of glass。
The deadly fluid ran in a winding course down a great maple
by the shed； leaving a narrow charred channel through the bark
to tell how it passed to earth。 A sombre pine stood up；
black and burned； its heart gaping through a ghastly wound
in the split trunk。
The rain now subsided； there was only an occasional faint
rumbling of thunder； as if it were murmuring over the distant sea；
the clouds broke away in the west； the sun peeped out； as if to see
what had been going on in the world since he hid himself an hour before。
A delicate rainbow bridge stretched from the blackened church
steeple to the glittering weathercock on the squire's barn；
and there； in the centre of the fair green meadows from which it
had risen in glorious strength and beauty for a century or more；
lay the nooning tree。
The fireball； if ball of fire indeed there were； had struck
in the very centre of its splendid dome； and ploughed its way
from feather tip to sturdy root； riving the tree in twain；
cleaving its great boughs left and right； laying one
majestic half level with the earth； and bending the other till
the proud head almost touched the grass。
The rainbow was reflected in the million drops glittering
upon the bowed branches； turning each into a tear of liquid opal。
The birds hopped on the prone mag