The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-11-28
tPIN BALLOON
ur rry ero H. urwoafn


smaller and larger booths preeinptod a
favorable location, where u0strums and
novelties were dispensed 10 those who
were not YET bankrupt Monstrosities
gragify The morbid issJo, and fascinating
sticks Of caudy allure the appe,iies and
plete the pockets OF youugings.
Having arrived AZ years Of discretion,
passed by on the other side, and was
walking leisureIy homeward, when my
attention was arrested By a mysterious
iuclosure, IN the center Of which swayed
to aud froa magnificent balloon, which
made regular halfhour trips to APPOINT
Just a quarter Of mile above the solid
earth. Then besitated. TO 80 mp IN a
balloon was the one great desire Of my
boyhood, bad done almost everything
else, aud this last experience would
round ms life exquisitciy. When ] was
quite Young ! was kicked over a iiye-rail
fence by wild colt who returned my
caTesses with very impressive pair Of
heels, / have several times been almost
blown to pieces with guupowder, that
neycr-failing fascination 10 every one in
his teens. have aimed rifle at a wood
chuck, and missing him sent the ball
within three inches OF a mans head. |
have been on the water in a small sail
boat, and been tipped over. In a word,
| have done a thousand delightful things,
all of which gave my father and mother
sleepless nights, and made them feel that
| was sure to die an untimely death.
( But here was chance 10 add a new ex-
perience 10 my life; and as ! saw the
immence Castle Ia the Air sway ing TO and
/ fro all my boyishness came back, and, in
less time than II takes to tell it, was in
side the inclosurc. and ia few minutes
more in the ear ofthe balloon with Pro-
fessor Allen, the accomplished gro-
naut.
( The signal was given, and we began to
/ rise. When we were about a hundred
feet up would have given all | possess
to be safely on the earth again. Instinct
/ lively clutched the ropes, but it did no
good, for ropes and every thing else were
all going up together Pretty soon |
grew more courageous, and then thor
oughly enjoyed myself. 1t was very
cloudy, but ! got good view of the
whole city. The tops of the houses were
far below me, and the church steepes
seemed slender as reeds. just then the
professor engaged my attention with some
of his exploits, aud when next looked
could see nothing We were IN the mid
die OF a cloud. aud The man. the houses,
the city, were wholly hidden from view.
We were ont of sight Of land.
j How far up are we, proiessorI
Only about quarter Of a mile, he an
swered.
A quarter of mile straight up! What
/ if the balloon should burst through its
lacings! In what shape should appear
after dropping twelve hundred feet or
more? This pleasant thought would in
trude itself. Ouly twelve hundred verti-
Gle feet well, that is not very much, and
yet, if should fall, think the coroners
jury would have no difficulty is discover
ing the cause of my DEATH
1t was very queer experience. look
ed up; nothing to be seen. | looked
round; nothing to be seen. | looked
down; nothing to be seem | seemed to
myself to be as near nowhere as hoped
ever to get. The mist drifted by me in a
friendly sort Of way, as if to reassure me,
and as though it wanted 10 say:
NV dear fellow, the Almighty is up
here just as lie is down there, We clouds
roll, aud surge and dash our fragile spray
in obedience to the same HH that gov
erns the more solid ocean. The Hand
that holds you in its hollow when you
walk the earth, is underneath you when
You have the clouds for your compan.
ion
So by degrees grew accustomed tC
my new position, aud sat quietly enjoy
ing not the scenery, but the situation
while the professor told me Of lis exploits
In Paraguay in the service of the army
aud of his more recent experience rs al
arouaut undcr the command Of unior
generals Away up beyond the reach o.
hostile buttets, glass and notebook in
hand, he used to watch the movements o
the enemy. How provoking it must hay,
been to see litiu black object among
the clouds and know that every dress pa
! rade pair OF sharp ewes were looking
througha powerful telescope. while Z
chel takin' notes would report to the en-
emy what not even the most daring sp!
or sharpshooier could discover.
Well aiter while, desiring 10 see tb,
faces OF morlaIs once more, | indicate,
my desire TO return TO the planet. sIowl.
/, we descended, and, iust as on board YES
sells YOU ind your way through the fol
until the beadlaud, which at tiF-t seemcC
ouly a ghost, assumes tang bic snd famil
7 iar shape, 80, as watched, the sleeple
- and tops Of houses came into view Tar be
, low me, sud 10 five inmates more jump
- ed uut oi tbs basket and was conscious Q
certain sense OF relief when tell gOo'
mother earth under my icet.
NJ friend Laughton gave me ticket
certifying to The fact Of ms exploit, assn
RUG my friends that for the last lhtr,
minutes / had been iar above the planet
and I rHsbed home.
had no sooner told my story 81 ID
table ihan my piueky little wife said