Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-01-05

ing gone, lam man again, Forgive my
weakness. Tears idle tears, l know not
what they mean and to be plain. old boy,
/ don't care Away, with melancholy,
then! Let us be- joyful while we may.
Ask me'to dine with you, Harry. can't
ask you, you know. Where shall the BAN
auet be set FORTH"
His manner had totally changed, The
old reckless gaiety had come back again,
more startling and CHASTITY than ever.
ANY where you choose. But how can
we dine together since You are to make
your ascension. at two. o'clock, and IT IS
now quarter past one?'
cit Isl" exclaimed Steele, in surprise.
"Then / must be off instantly" He moved
| toward the door, but suddenly turned and
came back. "I've thought, Thavies!
| Go up in the balloon with me, won't your
! 1t is a rare offer. know the ropes as well
as do nv own name, and there II be no
danger. The fact is, / want to talk with
| you. .,q's ..t - ,49ID4
| Thavies was taken little aback y :
II should like to try such an adventure,
1 he said. ''Nvhat time will we come down,
and where's"
| ANY time, anywhere! Some time and
somewhere: all right, be assured. Conner
/ After little further hesitation Thavies
agreed They set off for Green's Gardens
1 at once stopping by the way only to pur.
/ chase some bottles of rum and a box OF
4 sandwiches, and on their arriving at their
destination found the balloon already in
fated and the crowd gathered to see 1t off.
"Just in the nick Of time," said Steele
! Jump in, old boyr' Thavies stepped
! into the swaying basket, feeling very Gu
rious and doubtful, and the aeronaut fol-
| lowed. 4 band of music commenced to
play, and the multitude cheered Justify.
+ "Cut OFF, shouted Steele. We've got
everything, 1 believe. Yes; all right.
Now, don't be nervous, Harry; take hold
of the valve rope; thatll do. Give way
And swaying slowly from. side to side,
up they went Thavies chung to the edge
of the basket, at first in great alarm, but
Steele laughed.
pooh! you can't pitch me out" he
said. Look at me! sit very calmly on
this tying-trapeze arrangement, and drink
your health. !"
He opened one of the rum bottles and
took huge swallow.
"Now to business. Is the ballast all cor
rect ? Quite, ehg Everything in its
place, believe? Yes! Then let us make
ourselves comfortable"
ttHl ILLS auVlCS do qiitc tHIoWh away
on Thavies
/ Il don't feel very comfortable, must
Fconfess, Joe" he returned, clinging to the
side of the basket with both hands. II
wish hadn't come" ST
Theyswere rising at a great rate now.
+ No speed 'in'the world could have been as
rapid.
sPshaw! that sort Of feeling will soon
wear of. experienced it at first
But it don't wear off in the least"
| Higher higher, and higher they flew !!
Suddenly, Steele, who had been devour-
ing the sandwiches and disposing of more
rum, cried out: q a@a "E
"Look over the edge, Harry"
! Thavies, by great effort of will,
steadied himself with his feet and peeped
down. The sight was strange beyond de-
scription All New York in one vast pic
ture, far below!
"It's grand" he murmured.
Grand, is ?' repeated Steele, glancing
down from the side of the car. $50 it is z
He got up and stood with folded arms.
F. "Now, dear boy, let nae tell you some
thing; you will never see New York
again.. ..- ~
He burst into a wild peal of laughter.
II didn't seem anxious when l asked you
to take voyage with me, did /? But /
was. My heart stood still while you were
making up your mind"
Thavies stared at him perfectly unable
to comprehend. He had fallen into the
extremity of dread and terror. His blood
seemed to freeze in his veins.
"Yes, old boy, your time has come You
| will never go back to Mary Graham again.
We are alone here. shall pitch you out,
then sink down comfortably myself, and
say you stumbled over rope and fell.
| Who will know the difference!"
Then the whole truth flashed upon
! Henry Thavies--his companion was a
mailman.
Get up, friend Of my soul 2" continued
Steele, with horrible laughter, rolling up
his sleeves; 1--WE are called upon the stage"
and then addressing an imaginary audi
ence, ladies and gents, you will now
witness the rare fcte of strength, produced
only on this occasion, entitled "A Fight for
| Lifen"
Thavies still held on the basket, par
alyzed.
There is no time to lose, Harry The
| higher we rise the further we fall. If you
/ drop heels upward you will be likely to
have headache afterward. Come on!
His voice was growing husky, and he
| staggered a little. Clearly the rum he had
swallowed was taking its effect. - =
"Well, then" said Thavies, family,
"you must allow me drink to nerve my
self, you know. l am not in condition for
a good wTest1e.
Steele instantly poured out tumblerfull
Of the spirits, and handed it over. Thavies
| drank It with eagerness He waited a
while 70 recover his balance by means of
the draught, and then stood up deadly
| pale. p E&
Heavens have mercy upon me-" he
prayed. ~Tt3gnG-D 81 m.
The mad aeronaut made one spring, his
hand open and eyes wildly staring but
Thavies caught his shock fairly. Then
the dreadful struggle commenced. They
held each other with grips of iron, neither
yielding an inch, and both pushing with all
their might toward the, edge of the car.
The basket swayed from side to side, and
the bottles craunched under their feet.
But Thavies felt himself giving away;
his enemy's strength was beyond all oppo-
sition Yet still they fought, the weaker
4 II