Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-10-13
Balloon Ascension in Lancaster.

Wise, the celebrated lEronaut, of wha
she saw and how she felt during tn,
ascension:
am not an advocate of Woman
Rights in the modern acceptation o
the term, but have nevertheless I
notion that u lady might take rid,
through the ethereal regions Of space
without SHINING against the proprie
ties of her sex, or ia the least infi'ng
ing upon the good order of "time foi
all things;" and believing that the
proper time had come to crafty my
woman's curiosity upon this subject
of an grial voyage, when my husband
announced that he would sell the
vacant seat in his balloon chariot,
Jupiter" | accordingly resolved TO
be the highest bidder, though it should
be thousand dollars; when he very
gravety suggested TO me about the
pay, having, as he said, two cash
offers of fifty dollars each, told him
miHe was hundred dollars-paid in
advance, by numerous charges against
him for darning stockings and sewing
on his buttons for ten years past.
From this he made no appeal, but
said, "all right, you shall 60" Aud
now l will tell my lady friends, as
well as i can, how | did go,
AT 10 minutes past o'clock last
Saturday afternoon, Jupiter being suf-
aiciently inflated, | stepped into the
wicker-car thereto attached, and with
throb of delight loomed up and over
the centre Of the city. The multitude
below, with upturned faces-thc rat
tling sound of martial music-.the
shouts of applause-and the earth
with all its life gradually sinking
down-down-still deeper down, ex-
cited me very much, and ! involunta.
rily began TO wave my 'kerchief in
response to the happy salutations of
my good friends below, Ny husband
handed me the talismanic flag to wave,
while he would throw overheard bal
last composed of bundles of business
circulars, and up, up VIC went at u
glorious rate. My replies TO his ques-
tions for awhile were only Splendid
splendid y My heart was palpitating
with JOY over the beauties spread out
beneath and around, so that | could
do nothing but gaze upon the grand
scene before me. When we rot be-
gond the built-up part of the city, |
Tentnred my head through the barrier
of ropes to look straight down, and
beneath ! spied what seemed a nice
little Christmas garden, with little
buildings in the middle, which my
husband told ne was Franklin and
Marshall College, and jus. at this mo-
ment a milk-like vapor rushed down
before and underneath us, entirely
obscuring the world below. All at
once my JOY and observation changed
TO feeling of amazement-amaze-
ment most profound. Oh, what SOL
emn silence surrounded US. 1t was an
awiully mysterious thing to me how
this heayenl Y curtain of dew drops
could so suddenly wrap itself all
around us. The big, pulled up globe
above our heads, scarcely visible.
seemed to bend and stagger with this
load of vapor weighing upon it. Pres
emily a cheerful, mellow glimmer OF
light came from above, which cheered
MS again into conversation. Here Mr.
W. threw overheard n considerable
bundle of business cards, and as they
scattered through this Illuminated
cloud, they cracked like little torpe-
does. / wondered what cansed it,
Mr.. w. said at sounds like electric
sparks" As they foated leisurely
about they shone like silver and gold.
Presently we came out at the top of
this cloud, and here again came new
scene. How beautifully strange up
here-great big masses of white, soft
looking, fleecy clouds below. Oh, they
looked as soft and silky as the finest
down, and they rolled about, as il
were, in a wanton voluptuousness
"But, where are We now 2" / inquired;
81 can't sec the world-we are entirely
cut of; how will we get down." Mr.
w. said-'I will take you down now
but before we 60, let US eat bite of
our provisions, kindly furnished us by
our friend, John Sides" mo indeed"
said ], "this is feast of reason; / can
only feast with my eyes" But, to
please him, | ate few grapes of
bunch placed in the car BY John Ad.
ans, which he was devouring with a
gusto that indicated keen appetite.
as he also got out of the basket a
roasted fowl to regale himself with.
While in this solemn Stiffness was
suddenly startled. "Oh. what was
that Z" Mr. W. said. Il let some ras
off TO 20 down" When the valve
snapped shut, it cracked like a gun
and made me tremble for moment
i made such q strange noise up there.
Now we gently and softly sunk down
through this heecy bed below ia its
midst II was more dark this time. and
as we came out gradually below, / saw
the city as behind thin gossamar cur.
tain, and the gathering Of iron wheels,
and putting Of steam engines, and ring.
ing Of bells, contrasted strangely with
the bright, silent world above the
clouds.
Here we could see the beautiful
Srsquehanna, and here and there
village pcering from behind dark
cloud, and the people from below hal.
looing oil around MS; and ] heard
voice distinctly cry, Charley, come
down--come down-come down"
We repeated these cloud scenes five
or six times, going up and down, and
was almost led 20 believe that when
ave shall change from mortality 10 i'm
mortality, it viii be our happy desti. f.
ny TO soar through the realms ofspace.
visiting on spiritual wings this globe /
aud that globe for the good book
tells us that, sin my Fathers house
there are many mansions" and yer.
ily felt when was away up above the |
clouds, that ] was in the house of God |
lit was so grand and solcmnly sub
lime.
ehru f.-rn., d. G -. ii =. nc g.. ]