The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-09-08
A Big Jump.

Dick linton. the Paris correspondent oil
the New York Times, gives the following
account Of the latest curiosity -sharpencr
,,h;ch has been invented for the Parish
ans:
The feat Of jumping from ballon, the
nmpcr sustained BY an lnda-rubber rope,
was duly performed on Thursday. It was
tho most stupcndous exhibition Of daring
and address that the Parisans have yet been
n,rujtted to witness. From one side Of the
Ear Of the balloon hung the lndia-rubber
cord. descending one hundred and fifty feet,
snl then returning and being fastened to
he other side o. the ear. 1t thus formed a
s,rone loop. The AAecte was dressed as
Mercury; his body from the neck % thc
small of his back, was enclosed III Il frame
which enabled hm to erdurs the suspension
without wrencing or dlslocation. The rope
na..ed through I'm eyelet in the middle Of
HE back. placed so That he was held ia per-
feet equilibrium. When the balloon had
reached an altitude double that of the sup
posed elaticity of the cord, the voltigeur APP
neared on the edge Of the car, looked over.
shut his eyes, und dove off into space The
tyelet slipped along the rope, SO that the
first $50 feet were positive fall into the air,
without any re ssance or break. The rest
olthe way was an elongatIon OF the rope
l. stretched four time, its length, making Ill
all descent Of 600 feet, accomplished III
two seconds. After having attained It's low
es. point, the rope contracted once, perhaps
200 feet and then descended again. There
was ~ further rebound, and ~ oscillation;
the yoltigsnr lay calmly Graded in md-alr,
an probably spent the leisure he was now
permitted t. eni y ia recovering his breath.
and contempt tting the prospect. Tie ;ero-
maui above, now commenced Ut the Windlass,
aal gradually wound his dangling friend up
again. In four minu'e he climbed over the
side u the car having made the fastest time
thut any human being has ever achieved, ex-
cept sach as have been Shot from a canon,
as Baron Munchausen said he was. think
GOO feet in two seconds is at tie rate OF three
miles and a hall a minute. We are wait
ing new to know what viii be done next.
TIE ON ATagIsr. Dead! and with all
his wealth not sufficient to bury him with
proper deceney. Died, doubling to the last
poor old grey-headed Atheist.
Years ago his home was palace Ills
daughters were beautiful: his sons stately
and noble. H. glored in his nnbelief.--
Ills eyes stood cut with fatness." itscem-
ed hard to the poor Christians, and one was
tempted to say, 1T is better with tn wick
I'd than with the good
Bat BIZ these vet elods, on which the rain
r-ips dsmalIy, les his pine coffin, And the
sexton strikes It with his shovel, and coarse
iests protane the garden q God"
,.po5r old Atheistln One daughter lies
broken hearted in an early grave. One IL
foreign land wanlers under the weight OF
his curse. The youngest son. the .'old man 5
darling" rots in jail the other died drunk
en-,
All were Atheists Prosperity kept then
company long Their ships sailed in safe
r.. Their orchards were never blghted.-
Sickness tainted not their beauty; care anc
disappointment left their hearts alone.
Bat to-day where are they, with the wealth
and glory o, prosperity.
AZ! it is true.
The mill Of God grinds late-5m Hgria&
L yocdsr.''