Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-10-11

WhaIsOmeYer they call II.
For some time past the process OF initiating
the balloon had been going on; and now the
great gagly painted orb lowered tremulOusly
above the heads Of the gaping spectators, and
pressing against the cords by which it was
held down. it seemed only to await the arrival
Of the bold aeronaut to dart upward on It's way.
Here he isP exclaimed the outward strag-
glers Of the crowd; and presently q carriage
drew up, ant out stepped Mr.. Brown, the mil
licnare, who had lately become an Irish land.
ed proprietor. Mr.. Brown was a little dapper
man, whom a very small amount of pugilistic
force would have suficed to lay level with the
soil Of his adoption, He was one of those un.
lucky individuals who meet an accident at ev.
cry turn-who in entering a room. invariably
Slip, stumble. knock down some piece of fur
niture, or sit down beside the chair instead of
upon it. He seldom escaped upsettng his ink
stand: sending his meat and drink the wrong
way, and then coughing and choaking for half
an hour; cutting his fingers, tearing his coat,
or knocking his forehead against a door, so
that he rarely appeared in society without
scars, plasters, or bandages. In practicing
gymnastics he had knocked out three teeth.
In yachting at Cowes he had been four times
nearly drowned; in shooting on the mooS in
Scotland he had left the grouse unharmed, but
boJ bloun cT tuyo Of he ovp 6prors A tooto
for pyrotechny had singed handsomely his eye
brows, hair and whskers; and as to railway
travelling, his hair breadth 'scapes and owing
accidents amid collisions, upsetS and explo
sions, would have served to I'll two or three
volumes ol the English railway library, or the
French Bibliotheque des Chemins &c Fer.
At length, having tried the three elements
of earth, water and fire, it occurred to Mr..
Brown that the remaining one Of air, as me.
dium OF locomotiOn, might be more agreeable,
and could not be more perilous, than the 9TH
ers. He accordingly, the year before, when
residing on his estate in Devonshire, had pur.
chased an excellent balloon, and, strange to
say. had made several ascents, and had come
down again in perfect safety. Onthis occasion
he meditated flight over the Green Isle, and
intended to come down at Belfast; but the
best informed members of the crowd asserted
that he was going every step of the way tc
Amerikky.'
A London friend who had come to Ireland
on fishing excursion, had promised to Join
Mr. Brown in his fight but as il would seem,
his courage failed and he came not. Nowise
discouraged, however, Mr.. Brown was just a.
bout to step into his arial car, when a tall
strongly built man suddenly stepped forward
and politely saluting the aeronaut said: May
I ask you question, Sr2'
Certainly
is it true that you are going to America2
No, merely to Belfast, wind and weather
permitting
Belfast, repeated the stranger in a musing
manner-'the north Of Ireland. Well, that il
Just the direction towards which want to 60
and I hate land travelling. Will you. sir, &C
cept me as a companion?'
Mr. Brown hesitated for moment. but al
he really wished for some one to accomp any
him, be saw no serious objection to the plan
and accordingly signilied his acquiescenCe
merely remarking to the.stranger that his cos
tune seemed too light for the regions of cold
air which they would have TO traverse.
'Bah' was the reply. 4 have passed thro
more changes of climate than that, and am
happily very robust
well, said Mr.. Brown. looking at the mas.
sive frame of the unknown, my car is large e.
nough. Come in the name Of Providence' Sc
they took their places, and the word was Civ.
en-: Let goP
The fifteen men whose hands were severely
pressed by the straning cords, desired nothing
better, and in moment the freed balloon be-
gan to ascend mujestically. The crowd shout
ed and clapped their hands.
'Ahl' cried Mr.. Brown, 'this is delightful
don't you think SOP Not receiving any an
swer, he turned and looked at his travelling
companion. There he was, lying almost fla
on his face and hands, with his head over The
side of the ear, his Oyes we're fixed his hal
bristling,
Are you afraid?' asked Mr.. Brown.
No answer. The balloon ascended rapidly
and ere long arrived at the region of the cloud
Turning once more to his immoveablo compan
ion. Mr.. Brown shook him slightly by the arm
and said. Are you ill., Still no reply, but I
fixed and solid stare. They were now at
great elevation; clouds lay beneath their feat
above their heads burning sun, and n6nit
space around them.
Suddenly the stranger stood upright, b
face paid as that of a corpse.