The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-07-30

zee them after they LEFT our hands. 1t
grew very cold. The mercury IN the
thermometer was down to S00, and felt
q pressure upon my lungA The air was
so thin could mot breathe easily. The
sun had set twice already, and we now
saw It Get third time, for the higher we
went, of course, the better view we got of
the horizon. The red globe of fire once
more sank in the gray sea.like haze of the
far west, and the Professor thought we
had better descend before it was dark.
I wanted to stay mp all night; but he
said he hadn't made preparations for doing
so, and it was safest to 60 down while it
was yet light I was very sorry, for /
knew it would be pleasant to be up when
the stars came out, and the moon, which
was already hanging very pale in the sky,
had Frightened into shining silver. Ihad
often fancied myself floating through the
heavens in this way in the quiet night at
the rate of mile Q minute, out of the
world actually, but still part of it, the
globe revolving under my feet, as if l
were q spirit that had left it, and yet
breathed, and retained my consciousness
and memory.
The Professor pulled the rope that was
fastened to the hole in the top of
the balloon-the valve they call it
and we began to descend. l soon
saw the gas escaping like smoke. We
threw out the tissue-paper, and it few up
in q straight line. We were going down
too fast At that rate. we should be
dashed to pieces against the earth. So he
let go of the valve, and we went slower
The clouds fitted by us, and sometimes
were in our faces. We were still descend
ing rapidly and continued until We were
only about q mile high, as we knew from
the state of the barometer, the pressure of
the atmosphere on the mercury giving us
the means of judging. We could see the
various farms below Us, and we heard
persons shooting to US, as we had the first
half-hour of our ascension.
Some Of the country people brought out
their guns and fired at us as they had be-
fore. There was little danger of their
hitting anybody at that distance, or of in
juring the balloon, though 1 couldn't see
any special fitness in their making targets
of us. The Professor said they always
amused themselves in that way; that it
was their manner of showing us welcome
and of celebrating the event of seeing
balloon.
Come down to SUPPER" they cried, and
"How are your" "How do you feel up
theres" "Do you like your rider"
By this time we were not more than
half mile up, and in few minutes we
had diminished the distance to q quarter
of q mile. We were now looking for a
good place to alight A large open field
was the best place, as trees were danger
Gus, and likely to tear the balloon. We
found Just such q field while we were
sounding along. The Professor threw
out the anchor, and it caught in q fence,
but the rail slipped, and we lost our
security. Next we noticed two or three
persons, one woman, in the field-they
were evidently farm-hands-and we
shouted TO them to catch hold of the
anchor They were afraid; but they ran
after us, and after telling them number Of
times to seize the anchor all together-it
was dragging on the ground-they obeyed
in part by striking one end of the iron
into q stump, and then clutching the rope.
"Pull |" we cried, and they pulled with
all their might The balloon went down
violently-we were holding to the car,
and crouched DO as not to be Jared too
much by the shock-and bounded up a
hundred feet. Then they pulled it again.
Down it went; bounded about fifty feet,
and was at last on the earth, the farm
hands holding it firmly until we got out
They had never seen q balloon before,
but had heard of one often. When they
first noticed it in the air they were
alarmed, fancying it some monster. But
they concluded in few minutes it must
be balloon. They were afraid it would
take them up if they caught the rope; but
one said he would if the other would, and
so they gave each other courage. They
were very proud of what they had done
The entire neighborhood had been watch
ing us, and in q short time men, women,
and children were on the spot gazing
with open eyes and mouths at the wonder
full balloon.
TIE Professor determined to wait till
the next morning and make another
ascent The people brought large stones,
and filled the car Several Intelligent
and wealthy farmers invited us to their
houses in the vicinity to take supper
and spend the night. We &C
cepted one of the invitations, for there
was NO hotel thereabout, and we were five
or six miles from any town or village.
The farmer who secured US seemed to be
happy. We went to his house end were
kindly and generously trestel. The next
morning the Prcfessor-he said he wanted
to go slcno-went up again, but landed
within two hours, finding he was sailing
in direction he did not like.
Our Journey had lasted an hour and q
half only, and in that time we had gone
two miles and half high. and about
seventy from the point from which we had
started.
went back to Cincinnati by stage and
railway, and found the travel very dull
after the balloon.
Twas very glad to have made the trip I
had dreamed Of and wished fof so long,
and have felt quite satisfied on that one
subject ever since. 1t was good for me
it made me believe we can do almost any
thing we keep trying to do.-Our Young
Folke for August.