Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-03-12

could be fastened to the sides OF the car. and
| when at sufficient height, we could get out
| and perform.
| AS soon as reached the ground 1 went to
| Ranford, who first laughed at the notion and
| then agreed to it. The proprietor of the gar
! den asked us to name our terms We did so.
| lie tried to beat us down, but at length con-
sented, and we went up and did ir.''
interrupted him by asking if the danger
! was not extreme.
IN ot Bit, - replied my patient. eft fall
! from wire fifty feet from the ground, the
chances that should break my neck if
| fell from height of fifty miles | could do no
more. Then if our feet miss we have our
| hands to hold on by. However, we went up
| and when we had risen a certain distance we
/ got out of the car and commenced the perfor.
/ nance. 1t seemed odd to me at first, tumbling
! and swinging in the air, with the gardens and
/ the audience, and the houses and the trees
| such depth beneath us; bu. what struck me
| as most curious was when we hung head down
! wards, and looked up at the clouds. used
! to feel that the earth could not be so far dis
! tant, for high as we had risen, the sky seemed
as far off from us a, ever.
Our performances gave great satisfaction
and were favoraby noticed in the daily and
weekly papers We were told that the CT that
thrilled the audience most, was the one we
performed last before descending. Ranford
who heavier man than / hung head
downward then taking hold of both his hands
with both Of mine, | swung by their support
and then by way Of climax, let go my left
| hand and hung only by my right. | never felt
the least fear. We knew each others grip
and it was all right.
At first the eronaut went up with us, but
after a few times we were able TO manage for
ourselves so we'll that had an accident happened
to one, the other could have gone safely down.
We were earning great deal OF money but
| noticed that Mrs Ranford looked paler and
more careworn every day, and | knew how her
husband was conducting himself by that. She
often told me that she wished they were poor
again, as he had been much kinder in those
times.
One night shall never forget it was re-
turl ing home from the gardens and as passed
the door OF Ranford's lodgings, little EyeEna's
nurse ran out to me and said
''For heavens sake, sir, go in. Master and
missus have had dreadful quarrel, and missus
is going to kill herself.''
| ran into the house. | found the parlor |
door open. Mrs. Raniord was in the room |
alone her back was towards me, but | could |
see her face in the large mirror that stood |
over the chimney piece. She had razor in
her hand, and was about to use it on herself |
when she caught the reflection of my face in
the glass. She stopped, turned round, and |
fell upon the floor in fit. l picked up the |
razor, put it in my pocket ,and placed the poor
woman on a sofa. Ranford came into the room
halt drunk, half mad, and scowled at me like
a demon.
l expostulated and tried to reason with
him ; but he only made me jeerng replies,
such as, sOh, | understand better than YOU
think for;' Pm not fool' 81 have got eyes
and see = and on, and | left the house
with heavy heart.
Next day the urse-giri told me that Ranford
was jealous, and that he and his wife had quar-
relied about We ascended that night.
He never spoke to me l to him. We
both twirled and tumbled up in the air, with
out exchanging word
When we got down | felt inclined to give
him a good thrashing for his unjust suspicious;
but kept my temper for the sake of the poor
woman, and so we went on for eight or ten
days. -
Our next ascent took place on the gala night
of the United Order of Ancient Toxopholites.
1t was still summer night, without breath
of wind. We ascended till the gardens, and
the streets and the churches locked like
Dutch toys, and then got out upon the rope,
AS 1 took my seat behind Ranford, 1 noticed
that he had been drinking more than usual.
He had lately taken to an old way of knitting his
eyes and smiling with his lips tight pressed
together, and what with knit bTows, white
tights, spangled trunks, and the bit of ribbon
round his head, with paste star in the centre,
be looked as be sat swinging backward and
forward in the air, more like an evil being
than man.
We went through our performance, all but
the last trick. AS | was swinging from his
two hands, the thought came into my head, If
he should not hold on
AS [ let go with my left hand, and swung
only by my right, l heard his voice above me.
.sKeer,' he said, s'are'you guilty or not 20
ssI asked what he meant.'
"You know he answered. ssConfess that
you have wronged me; speak the truth
They are your last words | have but to loose
my grip, and down you go!'
! tried to seize the disengaged arm, but he
held it above my reach, and put his other in
such position that l could not catch at it, but
swung entirely at his mercy.
! leaped to reach the rope with my feet, and
so hang. by my heels, but failed. shut my
eyes and prayed Heaven to forgive me. Every
act of my past life rushed through my brain
at the same time l was perfectly conscious OF
everything about me--the blue sky, the quiet
evening" the rope, the bottom of the car, and
Ranford's s head inverted over me. | thought
what time should be falling. 1 knew how
slowly the sand sank from the car, and what
long time should be dying ere reached the
earth.''
/ found strength to speak.
s.Ranford, - said, "you are mistaken"
ssYou lie ~ he answered.
s'If you let go my hand you are murderer.
There will be an inquest
81 don't care.'
ssIt is known that there was illblood be-
tween u.s. continued. ssYou may be hanged.
Your wife will say you were jealous ~
ss.4 rife cannot gipe evidence against her has
land 20
knew the next moment should be falling {
through the air. spasm shot to my heart.
fancied | saw the bottom of the car rising
from me. felt the grasp of his fingers loosen
W ith the strength of desperation, leaped
I'D and cangbt his wrist with my disengaged