STRUCK BY A BALL OF FIRE
EDWARD BRAIN, OF PATERSON, N.J., TELLS A SINGULAR STORY - HIS CLOTHING AND HANDS BADLY BURNED - WHAT HIS COMRADE SAYS.

A boy, about fifteen years of age, named Edward Brain, living with his father, Jacob Brain, at No. 341 Ellison-st., in Paterson, N.J., was sent, about 9 p.m. Saturday, to purchase some groceries at a store close by. On the way he was joined by another boy, named Robert Duroe, about twelve years of age. It was raining hard. As they were going across a vacant lot in Pearl-st., at the end of Summer-st., in order to get to the store in Mechanic-st., Duroe says he looked up and saw coming toward them from above in an oblique line a small ball of fire, which in an instant struck Brain on the left breast, passed under his coat, and spread into a mass of flame over the boy's breast and side. Brain was holding his left hand on his breast at the time, and in it was a quarter of a dollar. Both boys were terribly frightened, and Brain says he was nearly knocked down. They ran through to Mechanic-st., into the grocery store kept by a man named Cox. He immediately stripped off young Brain's blazing clothes.

The boy's coat was burned to a cinder on one side, as was also his underclothing. His side was badly scorched and blistered, and the end of his thumb, including the nail, was burned off. His left hand was also badly burned, and the 25-cent piece which he held in his hand was partly melted. Young Brain was put under the medical care of Dr. Garnett, who pronounced his injuries not dangerous. Brain says that he saw nothing; that he only heard a hissing noise over his head just as he was struck. The other boy, a very intelligent little fellow, who was about fifteen feet from his comrade, says he saw the ball of fire coming very distinctly. Brain claims not to have felt any shock as from a solid substance, but says he was paralyzed for the moment. Both boys are thankful and their story is credited by all those to whom it has been told.