Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-07-24

A JUVENILE a ERoNAUT.-ln some
respects the most remarkable ascen-
sion that even took place was one
made by an apprentice boy Of twelve
years old named C;uerin, who was
taken up by the action of the balloon
itself without his consent, and with
out any intention that he should go
up on the part OF any other person
1t was a rarefied air balloon. The ear
was in the form OF 4 boat, and was
10 be suspended from the balloon by
cords attached to each end oft when
the balloon was filled. There was
also an anchor suspended by a cord
from the bottom of the boat which
was intended to catch upon the
ground and hold the balloon when it
should come down.
After the balloon was filled and was
ready to go up some of the assistants
held ii by cords, W lille others went
to work to attach the car TO it. They
had secured one end, and were then
going to secure the other, when, by
some means or other, the balloon
broke away from those holding it
and began slowly 10 rise, ard at the
same time to drift along with
the wind, dragging the car and the
anchor over the ground. 1thappen-
ed that, as the anchor was thus
drawn along, and was beginning to
rise, it passed so closely over this
boy-who was sitting quietly near
by with his companions, not dream
ing of being any thing but specta-
tor of the pPoceedings-aS to catch
the fluke in the waistband OF his
pantaloOns, and as it continued to
aGn0n1 If took him nm with ii
The boy uttered piercing screams
and cries and calls for help; and
there was perhaps no harm in this
so long as he held on hravely. OF
course no help was possible except
calls TO him from below to hold on.
He found that the waistband began
to give way, and he instinctiyely
grasped the rope above his head with
both hands, and so sustained him
self. The strength of his hands, with
out the aid OF the hook in his waist
band, would not have been sufficient
to sustain his weight many minutes;
and the waisthand was not strong
enough without the hands. But to-
gether, however, answ cred the pur-
pose.
1t was very fortunate for Guerin
that it was Montgolfier, that is, a
rarefied air balloon and not one filled
with hydrogen, that was running
away with him for in the latter case
the gas within would have continu-
ed to expand as the outside pressure
upon it diminished BY the increasing
elevations and as there would have
been no possibility of opening the
valve, as is usually done, to relieve
it, the balloon would have )urst and
collapsed, and the poor boy would
have fallen a thousand feet or
more TO the ground with full force.
But being a MOntgolfier, the ascend
the air grew cool, until at length,
after floating a moment in equili-
briun, il began slowly to descend.
rs the balloon descended, the rope
which had begun To untwist under
the influence OF the boys weight,
turned more and more rapidly and
inasmueh as 4 person suspended from
4 balloon il never conscious of his
own motion--the illusion which
makes the motion seem 10 be IN the
earth and moi in the balloon being
perfect il is indeed on smaller
scale TO person going mp in the ele-
vator Of q hotel-it appeared to Guer-
in that the earth was spinning round
beneath him in IA vast and most
frightful gyration. Guerin was more
terrified than ever. AS he drew
near the ground, or rather, as it APP
peared TO him, as the ground and
the cOncourse Of spectators upon it
came whirling up to him, he cried
out to the people to save him. They
called to him in reply not 10 be
afraid, that he was all right; and re-
ceiving him in their arms as soon as
he came within reach, they at the
same moment stopped the spinning
of the earth and unlocked him from
the anchor.
The incident Of course created
great sensation at the time and, as
the account of it became a part of the
history of aerostation, the story will
be repeated in all coming time. Guer-
in found himself very suddenly fam
Gus. As he was only Ia the air
about fifteen minutes, Ii is very pro-
bable that this boy acquired histori-
cal Immortality at an earlier age, and
in n shorter time, than any other
human being.-JACoB ARBoTT, IN
Harper's Magazine fer July.