The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-04-01
With a shout Of triumph, and drew

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his knife from his pocket.
"What are you going to do?" ask
ed NJ. GODDARD, who feared that he
might have the idea Of ripping open
the balloon.
"To make myself comfortable
forth with"
Uucring these words, the mad
man cut slowly the cord of safety
which NJ. GODDARD had attached to
his body. With a single puff OF
wind to shake the balloon the mis-
cradle creature must roll over into
the abyss! M. GODDARD shuts his
eyes in order not to sec. The mad.
man claps his hands; he cannot con.
tain himself with delight. He spurs
the balloon with h;5 s:'"' as if on
horse back, to guide its flight.
"And now" yelled forth the mad
man, brandishing his knife, we are
going to laugh. "Ah, robber, you
thought to make me descendl Very
we'll. 1t is you who are going to
tumble down in a moment, aud
quicker than that"
NJ. GODDARD had not time to make
a movement or put in single word.
Before he was able to divine the in
fernal intention OF the madman, the
latter, still astride of the semircle,
had cut-oh, horror! -four OF the
cor ages which suspended the car to
the balloon! The car inclines horri.
bly,; it only holds by two-l was go
ing to say by one cord, 80 slight do
they appear! 1t would have been all
over with II. GODDARD if he had not
grasped desperately at the two re.
manning. The knife oftEe madman
approaches the last cord--yet a mo-
ment, and all will be over.
"a word-a single word,' cried
NJ. GODDARD.
"No-no pardon" vociferated the
madman.
81 do not ask for pardon; on the
contrary"
"What is it yon wish, then p
said the mailman, astonished.
"At this moment. now," contin.
ned the eronaut, hurrledly, 1--WE
are at height Of 5000 feet"
Stop" said the mailman, THAT
will be charming. to tumble down
from such height"
at is still too low" added NJ.
GODDARD.
How so?" asked the man, stupe-
fled.
Yes" said NJ. Godar!, "mv ex.
perience as an Rronaut has taught
me that death is not certain to ensue
from a fall from this elevation. -
Tumble for tumble, l much prefer to
fall from snch height as to be kill
cd outright. rather than to risk being
only lamed;--haye the charity to
precipitate me from a height OF
1900 feet only"
"Ah, that will do" said the mad.
man. whom the mention of more
horrible fall charmed amazingly.
NJ. GODDARD follows herocalIy his
purpose, and throws over an enor-
nous quantity OF ballast. The bal,
loon makes n powerful bound, and
mounts five hundred feet in n few
seconds. Only - and whilst the
mailman surveys this operation with
II menacing air-the Dronaut thinks
to accomplish another, in II sense
quite contrary. The qnick eye oI
NJ. GODDARD had remarked that
amongst the cords spared by the
madman, figures the one leading tc
the valve. His plan is taken. He
draws this cord, it opens the valve
placed in the upper part OF the bal
loon tor the purpose Of allowing any
excess ofthe hydrogen gas to escape
and the result which he hoped fol
was not long in making itself appa
rent. Little by little the nadmar
becom@s droTsy, asphyxiated, snc
insensible by the vapors Of the gai
which surrounded him.
The madman being sufficient,
asphyxiated for his purpose, NJ God
dard allows the balloon to descenC
slowly to the earth. The drama il
finished!
Arrived on terra !frma, NJ. God
ard. not bearing any hatred to tn
author of his perilous voyage, hasten
cd to restore him to animation, AM
had him conveyed, hands and fee
bound, to the neighboring station
Il Courier d pRurope.