Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-03-23
q H;ndered l'' echoed the professor.

smile: "unless it blows very violently indeed;
but my experience of the weather tells me
there is nothing to dread"
"Ia am glad to hear it. You are engaged,
am informed, to take some one up with your
At this moment spasm crossed his face, and
and writhed it'for q single instant, till it took
dark aud sinister aspect.
EYES," was the reply. "a young noble
man of this city, Count Ludwig Paulder."
"Ah!" said the stranger {" knew him
once an old friend, sir, till we were parted,
and-and years severed US. should like to
ascend with you"
"Itis almost, I may say utterly, impossible"
was the quiet answer.
~ never accept that word as an answer in
dicating to me any meaning at all, )" was the
halt.ferce and moody reply. Nothing is i'm.
possible, sir; and [ must repeat what said"
"It cannot be DONE"
"Sir do not deem me insolent or rude
Anything-everything can be done" and he
proceeded with amazing GOODNESS to take out
a heavy purse of money from his vest. What
is your charge ?'
The aeronaut shrugged his shoulders, and
a smile at the absurdity of the demand played
on his lips.
"There is room for only one, in addition to
myself, in the car, and that one seat is en-
gagged. as have said-and as you know"
"What did the Count Ludwig pay for his
privilege ?" demanded the stranger.
"Do you not think, sir that this is going
little too far p asked the professor.
"Your pardon, sir. will give you double"
The professor shrugged his shoulders again,
smiled, and turned away.
Come" said the stranger, i I must not
lose my object thus"
"Dut, sir," interrupted the other, "if you
have So intense q desire to ascend, do SO with
me tomorrow or the next day."
The stranger shrugged his shoulders in turn.
No time like the present." said he. :" have
an absorbing, adevouring thirst to 60 up, and
my desire must be grati6ed."
81 have no objections, sir, to your having
what you require"
"Good," cried the stranger, his face lighting
up with gleam of intense delight,
"But must repeat, and l do itwith regret,
that to day, and with me, it would be impos.
sible. l say impossible because myself
know word which implies that thing can.
not be DONE
alt shall be donc-it must be done and
what is more to til; purpose, it will be done"
The stranger spoke so calmly, so decisively,
and with such force Of conviction, that the as.
tonished and half offended acronaut drew back
with an exclamation.
"Your pardon, sir, once more. This is the
way which | propose to arrange the difficulty:
will give you your own terms to take your
place. have ascendel before, and know
how to take the entire management Of such
machine"
And he forthwith began to explain to the
professor the whole structure and working OF
the balloon, in manner 81 plain and pcriec;
in its details, shat it was evi:cut the stranger
was no novice in the matter.
The conclusion was, therefore, that the
stranger should take the prutcs or's place, and
ascend with Ludwig Paulier, the whole being
left to his care and guidance.
We now return to the garden.
The noble machine was fully distsnded, and
little more preparation WAS ncce sary before it
would he vosencd to soar lightly alott. Tho
crowd turn now and then an anxious and even
hopeful eye towards that quarter Of the sky
which seemed to threaten most, and trusted by
Il few faint indications that all would blow
over, and that the pleasure would not be
rnarred. Count Ludwig Paulder had i'll the
meantime taken his scat in the car, and was
gaiy bidding some of his friends good bye"
when the stranger, in his dark and ample
cloak, strode out of the crowd an(l.advanciug
TO the professor, whispered something i'll bis
ear, to which the ether replied aSsentinyly, and
before ans could recover their surprise, draw
ing his cloak still closer around him, he lad
taken his seat opposite the handsome young
count, who, momentarily surprised, glanced
first at one and then at the other.
II am to have company, then it seems ?"
asked Ludwig half haughtily.
The stranger turned his head. The profes.
sor at the moment, all being in readiness,
| loosened the balloon, and having made feint
to leap into the car, failed, as q matter OF
course. Away it darted upwards like vast
and brilliant rocket, amidst the applause of
thousands upon thousands Of spectators.
Those who were nearest, however, and be-
held the professor left behind, looking after his
fugitive balloon with sort of drily humorous
surprise, were blind with dismay, as they anti
cipated nothing but an Instant and horrible co.
tastrophe, arising from the assumed ignorance
OF those in the car. and the strange manner in
which the aeronaut himself had been left.
When the excitement Of the moment had
subsidel, when wonder was greater than Gu
riosity, when every one thoushnand wondered,
almost awe.stricken and breathless, upon this
marvellous mode of traversing through space,
aud defeating the denizens of the air in their
own elemen,-to all the eager questions Of the
crowd, the acronaut only replie that "all was
safe, that there was nothing to fear, the stran.
ger had proved himself to he perfectly calm
aud col ected, and that he had been able to
give one or two hasty pieces Of advice, ms re.
5arded the working Of the machine, the using
of the ballast, und the regulating the ascent
md the dpsrent--ihst is to sny, the uisnege.
nsn. OF the gld within TIC body Of the ailsrn
globe
Theoretically, nothing can be n1ore simple
than the management Of these things. When
properly constructed, balanced, 1tte'l aud pro.
visivned, there is nu reason to fear whateYer.
In ascending higher, all the aeronaut has TO do
ii to p,uf uut bis ballast in the shape OF sand.
Which obvil,e4 d.i,,ger to those below. In lie.
3cending, he must increase tho weight of his
vessel by permitting large escape OF gas
"hich, Ny leSrce", restore lo INC lhacuiue It's
own proper gravity.
We must now accompany the amateur aero
nauts.
The balloon went upward with an astonish-
iug swiitness; Count Ludwig had barely re-
covered his surprise at b-hulling the bal Don
bounding away, AMI the professor abs mt. AT
the first few moments, u terrible dismay seized
him. lie knew not how to manage the ma
chine, which was to him rs intricate IL Arach
n.'s web, and he supposed his companion to
b. quite as is..orlnt. He veatured to ga
below, and his brain rceled and his heart sick
encd ut the thought of an accident which
should prccipitate them both downwards.
AS the balloon however went onwarIs and
upwards with IN easy and gentle, though still
rapid molion he became u little more at ease,
though he still felt lnissivings about their DE-.
scent. 1t appeared easy enough to ascend
but how were they 10 descend? He knew very
we'll that the gas within the balloon was highly
V,,., al.