Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-11-11
A Kite Flying Urchin Drawn Up
BY His Toy.

A Kite Flying Urcllin Drawn I'm
BY His Toy.
A very singular occurrence took place on
Friday last, near Bridgeport, which puts a
dangerous aspect on boyish sport thot has
hitherto been considered quite pastime.-
A lad named Willie Goodman, aged ten
years, residing on Columbia street, like
every other boy in the kite flying period Of
his existence, became ambitious to make a.
monster kite that should fly higher than any
other that ever was made Accordingly he
made one with wings, such as may be seen
in any toy-shop windows. It was built
after the style Of Japanese kite" and was
fully six feet in length. The stout frame
work was covered with paper in a very ar
tistc manner, and strong hcmpen cord
was attached to the cross beam.
All things were prepared, two companions
boosted" the artificial bird into the proper
angle, and it few into the air like thing
of life. II arose moderately at first, the
wind taking it to the westward, but, having
attained about two hundred feet, it came
into an opposing current which drove it to
the south with great velocity The man.
moth toy arose still higher and higher, the
little aronaut letting out the string which
was nearly jerking him off his feet. As his
kite went upward the boys spirits went up
with it, and he continued paying out the
line until, at length, an end was reached.
But still the ravenous kite demanded more
Being arrested in its flight, it began to Jerk
and pull so sayagely that the lad was COM
PEELED to tie the cord about his waist to pre-
vent its slipping from his hands.
The ambitious boy had reached the height
of success in aeronautics, and he gazed in
rapture on the kite that looked mere speck
on the sky, full quarter of mile away
For some moments it described semicircles
in the air, occasionally jerking so hard as to
nearly lift the boy. Soon it made a furious
plunge, and rose again so rapidly as to lift
the aerial navigator clear from the ground.
Nor did he come down again Immediately,
but kept rising higher and higher, at the
same time drifting in southernly direction,
until an altitude of seventy five feet, or
more, was reached. By clingiDg to the
cord the lad was enabled to maintain an
upright position, but he was unable to unite
it, nor was such course desirable, for while
the cord was leading him to apparent des-
truction, it was the only immediate means
Of safety.
The scene was indescribably horrifying to
the few who witnessed it, Perhaps five
minutes elapsed in which the little fellow
was dangling between heaven and earth,
powerless to save imself and beyond the
reach Of assistance from others. Those be-
low set up cry of anguish, expecting every
moment to see him dashed to fragments b.
fore their eyes. Finally, when the upper
current seemed to have spent its strength,
the kite began to descend Fortunately
the cord was strong and the boy was light
During both the ascent and descent, the
kite kept drifting, and as it came down,
Willie was brought in proximity to the roof
of small two-story house He seized hold
Of the chimney which happened to be with
in his reach, and in moment was safely
anchored.
There was shout of joy from the crowd
below, and some Of the number quickly pro-
cured ladder, and reached the side Of the
little mronaut. The cord that bound him
was cut, and the kite, deprived Of its ballast,
eareened again and again, until it finally
reached the ground fully mile away.
The boy uttered not a word, but still
chung to the chimney, and could not be
persuaded that he was out Of danger. He
was forcibly torn from the bricks, and res,
tored to his home. The result cannot be
called happy one as Jet, for the little fell
low is lying dangerously i'll of brain fever
superinduced by fear.-Chicago Times.
MARRYING IN RUSSIA The ladies in
Russia are very anxious to marry because
they have no liberty before marriage
They are kept constantly under the mater
nal eye until given up to their husbands
and then they take their own course. Al
most as soon as girl is born in the bette
ranks Of society her parents begin to pre-
pare the dowry she must have when sh'
goes to her husband She must furnish
everything for an outfit in life, even to a
dozen new shirts for her coming husband
The young man goes to the house Of hi
proposed bride and counts over her dresses
and examines the furniture and sees tn
whole with his own eyes before he commit
himself to the irrevocable bargain. In higl
life such things ore conducted with more ap
parent delicaoy; but the facts are ascer
tained with accuracy, the business being il
tbs hands of broker or notary. TIL
trosseau is exposed in public before the wed
dino dav