Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-11-05
STAR.
= MR. BROWNS LAST ASCENT.

men, and children IN the neigh borhood CON
pretending about nine-tenths Of the popula.
uon-were assembled on the large level com
mon which served as race-course and ball
ing greer; and ail thronged towards souie ob.
Jeetln the centre, which formed the nucleus
( of the crowd. -, .... -. :
Yea, then, what's tho name of il all de-
manded une ragged gassoon o.. --.i ir.'I'2
lis at tied to the tail of it he's going "a 90
4 up" asked another. s., 9--,t'7, .
4 "Ah, don't be foolish - exclaimed an Old
4 man, the sense-carrier'' Of The district:
don We see the long ropes he's goin: to hoId
on by p. + tr. . - = -
| Well, we'll. groaned an old woman
taxing her dHdeen, short black bipe, out of
her mouth, and sticking it, lighted as it was,
within the folds Of her cross barred cotton
neckerehief; " them English are mighty q uare
people. m sure that when we heard that
TINS Mr.. Brown, with his sacks of gold, was
coming to kitclarm, after buying out the rale
ould stock of the Deasys, we thought he a
nave carriages and horses galore, and may be
ine yaeht in the harbor; but it never enter
cd the heads Of any US, that nothing less would
serve him than going coorsing through the air
like wild goose at the tail Of a balIone. or
! whatsomever they call it" -... ...--. ..---s
For some time past, the process of Initiating
the balloon had been going on; and now the
, great gaiiy painted orb towering TREMENDOUSLY
ABOVE Inc heads ct the gaping spectators, and
! pressing against the cords by which it was
held down, it seemed only to await the srri
, val of the bold 9ronaut to dart upwards on
its way Fs..I.. B, -. - . '"
Here he isn' exclaimed the outward
straSglers of the crowd; and presently a car
rage drew up, and out stepped Mr. Brown.
! the English millionaire. who had IateIy be
come sn irish landed proprietor. Mr.. Brown
I was little dapper mad, whom a very small
. amount OF pugilistic force would have suffered
! to lay level with the soil of his adoption. He
was one of those unlucky individuals who
meet an accident at every turn-who. in en-
terlng room, invariably slip, tumble, knock
down some piece of furniture, or sit down be-
slae their chair instead Of upon it. He sell
! dom escaped upsetting bis inkstand: sepdiop
his meat and drink 1.-The wrong way:n tbe6
coughing and choking for half an hour; cut
hng his fingers, tearing his coat or Knocking
/ his forehead against door; SO that he rarelS
1 appeared IN society without scars, plssters. or
pandages In practising gymnatfcs, he had
knocked out three teeth; in yachting at Cove,
ne had oeen four times nearly drowned; in
snootlng on the moOrs in Scotland, he had left
the grouse unharmed, but had blown off two
ot has own fingers. A taste for pyrotechny had
singed handsomely his eyebrows. hair and
Whlskers, and as to railway .trayeling hi
halrbreadth escapes and moving incidents
and collisions, upscts, and explosions. would
nave served to fill two or three volumes of the
Engilsn railway Library, or the French BIZ
hotte Ges ChemIncs de Fer .-H ~
At length, having tried the three elements
Of earth, water, and fire, it occurred to M.
brown mat the remaining one Of air, as a me
dun OF losomotion, might be more agreeable
and could not be more perilous, than the
olhef: lie accordingly, the year before, when
resluinS on his estate in DevDnshire had nur-
chased an excellent balloon, and, strange 70
ID Al-
Down again in perfect safety. On this ocea.
sion he meditated fight over the Green Isle.
and intended to come down at Belfast; but
shs best informed members of the crowd as
serted that he was going every "step Of the
way 10. Amerikky.
London friend who had come to Ireland
on nshiDg excursion, had promised 10 ioin
.Ar. Brown IN his flight; but as il would seem
his courage failed, and be came not. Noyise
discouraged, however, Mr.. Brown was inst
about to step into his Rrical car when tall.
strongly sulls man suddenly stepped forward
ana politely saluting the aerOnaut said:
May ask you question, sir ~ 80
. Certainly .... 4-.. ...-y
Is it true that you are going 10 America p,
NO merely to Belfast, wind and weather
permitting
g Belfast" replied the stranger, mus;ps,
:" the north Of Ireland Well, that is lust tbe
direction towards which 1 want to 90, and
nate land travelling. Will you, sir. accept me
as companion ?'' - ~. -
Mr.. Brown hesitsied for a moment, but "a
ne really wished for some one TO accompany
hlm, he saw no serious objection to the plan.
and accordingly sgni6ed his acquiescence,
merely remarkin2 10 the stranger that h:s
costuEle icemed too light for the region of cold
AIR wnich they would have TO traverse.
:, ban was tne rep'y; 81 lhavs passed
through more changes Of climate than that.
and am happily very robust =
Wei" said Mr. Brown, looking NJ the
massive frame of the unknown, my car is
large enough. Come, in the name of Proyi-
dehee So they took their places, and the
word was given" Let goo -
The fifteen men whose hand. were ssyersIy
pressed by the straining cords desired ncthing
better, and In q moment the freed balloon be,
gan to ascend msjestically. The crowd shouted
and clapped their hands.
"Ah p, cried Mr.. Brown, " thi. is delisht.
fui Don't you think SOL" Not receiving
any answer, he turned and looked at his tray-
eiinS companion. There he was, lying almost
dat on his face and, ,hands, with his head over
the SIDE Of the car; his eyes were fixed, his |
hair bristling
Are you afraid g. asked Mr.. Brown
NO answer, The balloon assembled rapidly,
and ere long arrived at the region Of the |
clouds. Turning once more TO his immovabls
ooAAfnnion kar Drown sno0k him slightly by |
the arm, and said, Are you i'll 30 Still no |
reply bat fixed and stolid stare,r They were |
now at a great elevation; clouds lay beneath |
their feet. above their heads a burning sum |
and infinite space around them. 20 20
Suddenly the stranger stood upright, his |
face as pallid as that Of corpse.
Pastor, faster. :" he exclaimed in tone |
of authority; and seising in succession three |
of the bags II sand which served as ballast he |
fupg them out of the car, at the same time |
laughing In strange, wild manner "Hau'
he cried, that's the way to travel, we shall |
distance the swallow, we shall tower above |
the eagle. When was in the Abrulsi with |
my rife in my hand, watching for stray tray-
elsrs, l never felt so excited as 1 do now.
Then their lives were in danger, now II is my !
own e.. ..f. %. = 90. .iE.
Nscy pleasant, thought ths owner of the |
balloon. l have picked up some raseally
Italian brigand. --e :. g ~
Better to fight with the elements than |
with the custom.hoase officers '" continued |
his companion. s eTsw fs
The balloon ascended at terrific rats In |
his turn Mr.. Brown stood up, and, lsying his