Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-08-10
Mistfllanp.
THE EAERONA AUT'S REVENGE
TALE OF THE CONFESSIONAL.
BY WILLIAM E. BURTON.
Continued.
CHAPTER THE FOURTH.

With one heel nail od in hell,
Though he stretch his fingers to touch the heavens
LILLY.
The balloon, relieved of Le Roux's
weight. assembled with the most alarming
rapidity, assuming zig gag or snake-like
motion that impaired to the car pendu-
lous action of fearful and bewildering
nature. Each vibration raised me to side
level with the body of the machine, and
threw me with an irresistible jerk against
the frail net work, where l was unable to
secure firm position ere the force of the
return motion cast me to the other side.
The violence of each fall burst several of
the thin strands of cordage from their fas-
Jennings to the light edging of the wicker
car. l felt certain that my fate was sealed
that the murder of my friend would in
stantly be avenged. The inhammable air
contained in the balloon was pressed down
ward by the resista nee of the atmosphere
to the extreme rapidity of ascent, and es-
capped profusely from the lower valve or
neck of the balloon, which hung over the
car. This vent had been left unclosed, as
me ans Of passage for the lines of the up
per valve-the ascending nature of the gas
prevented any likelihood of danger. But
now, the mephitic vapor exuded in such
quantities as to effect my powers of res
Ipiration. l became delirious; my head
spun round; my bodily functions were
suspended, and 1 fell, doubled up ant
senseless, into the bottom of the car. l
the great escape of gas, and consequent
loss of ascending power, had not causeC
a suspension of the vibratory motion,
must have fallen through the gaping ap
ertures in the rope work which surrounded
me.
In this wretched state I laid for severa
hours, hoverlng, in moro ways than one
between life and death. When returnin;
consciousness attended me, was acutel,
sensible of the most intense cold ; m
clothes were frozen into cakes Of ice, M
t hair was matted by the frost, and hug
icicles hung from every point within m
reach. had evidently passed through
= stratum of cloud impregnated with rair
and the excessive cold of the upper re
n gions of the air had CONCEALED the moist
ure which had absorbed. l must hav
gained an awful hight, for the rarefacLio
:. of the atmosphere scarcely allowed me
It respire. The balloon seemed fixed in
'' movably; and black, pitch-black darknes
= encompassed me.
Hour after hour passed, and was un;
d BILE to discover that the balloon made Il
ID slightest motion in progression. or sur
or rose one single foot. Horror began
exercise powerful influence over m
: :, strained faculties; my senses quailed b
~ meath the dreadful misery of my situatio
| fancied that the vengeance of the A
= mighty had doomed mo to expiate n
" crime in the very place of its commissio
i; i, that was sentenced, by his eternal fs
I'd to endless suspension in the region
: space, beyond the influence of nature al
op its laws. My cramped and frozen bod
scarcely animated by difficult respiratio
= lay motionless i'll the eoncavity at the bc
et' tom of the car. Hopeless, nervele:
% %ss, spiritless-I gave myself up to despair.
IN A dull and yellow tint pervaded t
foggy atmosphere which surrounded n
knew that the sun was rising, but su
-. was the density of the cloud, that l "
= unable 10 mark the place Of the day got
.nc! advent. But the heat of the solar rs
" affected the frozen air, which, bursti