The Destruction of the Oak Tree

I remained, while the storm lasted, watching its progress with curiosity and

delight. As I stood at the door, on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire

issue from an old and beautiful oak, which stood about twenty yards from our house; and so

soon as the dazzling light vanished, the oak had disappeared, and nothing remained but a blasted stump.

When we visited it the next morning, we found the tree shattered in a singular manner.

It was not splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin ribbands of wood.

I never beheld any thing so utterly destroyed. The catastrophe of this tree excited

my extreme astonishment; and I eagerly inquired of my father the nature and origin of thunder and lightning.