The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-12-05
:@ CADIZ 0HI0 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1885,

ed to me that it had already commenced to
descend, and that we were fast gaming a
swift downward movement instead of GO
ing up. ard completely overcame by my
fears | sank to the bottom Of the car, un-
conscious III ,t'
How long remained in that state | new
.er knew exactly, but finally my scattered
senses returned, and raising ON my elbow |
looked aboutme
Good God! .DeIacy was gone from the
car! Had he also lost consciousness and
fell from the balloon? 1t must be sol This
terrifying thought well nj gh drove The
breath from me as | contemplated IT, but |
struggled against my emotiop and nianagea
to rise TO my feet "'.
The first thing that met my eye was my
friend coat aod had laying tear my feet.
Surely this meont something! DeLacy
might yet be safei was suddenly startled
in my thoughts by the vinlent careening of
the balloon from side to side, as though
heavy weight was being brought to bear
upon the tor, and almost immediat, ly aftera
stifcd cry. Then dark body shot past
me, down, down, to the world below, il
went with the velocity Of thought, and |
could make nothing of it. Was it the
| Ildnldc tSrOnut
| looked up and asked myself the qucs-
ton, and behcld the form of man coming
down the netting. / recognized with in
control|able joy the striped pantalonns of
DeLacy. and when he arrived safe in the
car, we tel into each Others arms, and wept,
| yes wept, but they were tears of Thankful
ness and joy at eur final escape from fear
tul death. | then cor,prchended ALL
When that terrifying thought of the ma
MAC cutting hole into the conveyance oc-
Cured to my fIicnd he saw but one cour
o. action necessary to prevent the catastro-
phe and that was to follow NJ. Cannon;
and the brave man did. When he reached
the top cf the balloon he beheld the mad
rlan with his back toward him in the very
act. He had not succeeded in the intent
as yet but with one hand tightly clutched
in the netting and the knife in the other, he
was about to give fierce blow upon the ex
| panded silk With his usual torethought,
Del4acy had taken care to place the rcvol
yer in his pocket, so that in case he should
need it .he weapon would be handy. He
now drew it from its resting place with one
| hand and struck the maniac heavy blow
upon the back with it. NJ Canon had not
seen him coming up the side and the rap
was the first intinatInn he had received Of
his foes presence. With thrust, he par
TALLY turned around and made furious
thrust at DeIIacy with his knife. But he
miscaculated tn really short distance, and
the force Of the blow caused him to lose
his equilibrium. and he rolled from the top
OF the balloon against the fearless DeLacy.
| The combined weight of the two caused
| the ropes to strain iear'ully, and the balloon
| to careen rather uncomtortably, especially
as the madman kept stugg ing to regain
| his position. ...
There was but oHc way about it, either
| DeLacy or his foe must go to the earth be-
low, and naturally wishing il to be the ma
MAC, he bent down suddenly, and NJ. Canon
rolled from him into the air with one long
despairing cly. How terrible Wa. his fate,
! Having tie management Of the Comet
entirely to himself now, my daring friend
orened the yalye gradually, and in short
time we were within half mile OF Paris.
Never shall forget the pleasurable emo
tions that filled my bosom, as firmly step
ped from the car to the SOLID earth once
more. No pen can do justice to them
/ But the fearful peril Of that balloon ride,
so far above the unconscious world" had
turned my black hairs as gray as the frost
of winter AID in a measure affected my
natural huoyancy of spirits .. -.
At Paris took painful leave Of the
daring, no,le DeLacy, | never saw him
again. He died within year of our ex-
traordinary adventure and while was Jour
neying in my own land bright America.
The body of NJ. Canon was subsequently
found-a shapeles7 mass-and buried in
lonely grave pear the spot where he had
fallen. He had long been crazy upon the
widely different subjects of baloonlng and
riches, though at times he had short ra-
tional periods | am old now, very old,
but shall never forget my fearful balloon
ride with maniac. s......