SAD CALAMITY During the prevalence of the thunder showers in this vicinity about noon Thursday, two ladies, the wife and daughter of Mr.James S. Willis of Mendon, while standing in the door of their residence, were struck by lightning and killed. The electric fluid entered the house at the chimney, damaging it somewhat and passed down to the second story where it struck a pile of old hoop skirts, setting them on fire; from there it passed to another pile of skirts in the same room, some eight foot distant and directly over the doorway in which the deceased were standing,w hence it went through the floor, striking Mrs. and Miss Willis and, it is believed, killing them instantly. As soon as they were struck they pitched forward into the dooryard, Mrs. Willis in her fall striking upon a stone step with such force as to fracture her skull, thereby inflicting a frightful wound upon her forehead, which alone was deemed sufficient to have produced her death. Two younger children of Mrs. Willis were in another portion of the house at the time of the shock and as they made no outcry for some minutes thereafter, it is supposed that they too were temporarily prostrated, thought they escaped without injury. A neighbor who was approaching the house, in the dooryard, was stunned by the chock, but fell against one of the walls of the house and saved himself from falling to the ground. An employee of Mr. Willis, who was standing under a wagon shed in the yard was also prostrated and Mr. Willis and another employee who ere approaching the house from the opposite side, sustained similar shocks, and Mr. W. is still suffering from the effects thereof. A horse which was being driven by the residence of Mr. Willis was also prostrated, as were several fowls standing at the time in the yard. Dr. B. H. Haynes of this place was called and every available effort madeto resuscitate the unfortunate ladies, but without avail. The affair is one of the saddest which has occurred in this vicinity for some time and the afflicted family have the sympathies of the entire community in their affliction. The deceased were aged respectively 36 and 16 years. Their funeral took place at the church in Mendon on Friday. (from the Rutland Herald) ***TLangAdams