Yankton daily press and Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1875, 1875-07-24
,f hurry and economy than Of a prop

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fessor and his companion. Alto
gethcr the balloon wore an air sof
sbabbiness and debility, not to have
detected-whtcll, in the light of pies
cnt evidence, seems unaccountablc.
CONVERSATION WITH a rlCKrocIEr,
touching the likely result Of an en-
pertinent upon the formers person,
nobody laughed more heartily, or
showed more delicate sense Of the
fun of the situation, than big con-
stable, who, with both hands in his
pockets, punctuated the thief's rejoin-
ldcr with a series Of winks. :.
Donaldson was evidently very Ter
vous about the start. He whistled
vacantly to himself, and took frequent
oh servations Of the wind aud the
promise of the sky. Sunburnt, dusty
and restless, he. formed picturesque
contrast will, the apathetic canvas
men who kept the balloon to its moor
ings. Tie two reporters who enter
ed the car together held no convcrsa-
tion with him, and while they we're
in-tl,c heat OF an imudible dialogue,
TIC swung himself, monkey-fashion, to-
a platform Of wire netting just un-
der the neck Of the balloon, in which
unfragrant neighborhood lie remained
until the machine became specl> in
the upper blue.
THE CROWD
had a good chance to scrutinZc him,
as he leaned, in the attitude Of an
auctioneer, over the upper hoop aud
exchanged some sharp and nervous
raillery with an acquaintance down
below. He looked short and very
J, square shouldered, with gymnast S
+bbreadtttl- of chest ur,d-bigsjotntedness.
His coat collar was turned up to
shield large muscular neck from
the sun, and silk hat was drawn
down over his face. This latter was
brown as a berry, with hair cropped
short, thick died mustachc twisted
up in an inquisi:ivc point at each end,
and pair Of bright dark eyes, which
roved hither and thither. Just be-
hind him the brasses. and the reeds,
and the drums Of the band were play.
ing and banging cheerily. A hun
drcd wags Shot their quibs at him,
arid once in a while somebody, with
stronger lungs than the rest, caught
his attention and won reply.
/ Just before the balloon began the
series Of short bumps and jerks which
was the prelude Of its departure,
i Donaldson covered his eyes with his
hand and gazed steadily over the
treachcrous lake. One Of the wags
sung out:
Z "DoSALpsoN, YOU'D BETTER GET oul'.' .
The aeronaut was silent for minute
then he muttered: /" wish 10 Christ
| could"
Grimwood, Of the .tournal, was ii
} that dingy wicker.car, pcerinp
through the network of ropes like a
.cagc.bird. Donaldson's wire percl
was fully three feet above him
While the professor played at being
captain Of the air-ship, the sole pas
senger made himself at home, and up
raisinga bundle of circulars, mean
: for aerial distribution, asked il the,
: were provisions.
!; Everybody laug he'd at the lightnes.
Of the fare except Donaldson, who
had his arms turned around pair o
: the main ropes, and whose face wa.
: like q copper mask.
The journalist looked to be a slcn
der young fellow with plain, homes
!. countenance, and was serious enoi,gi
for one on the eye of such a fatal voy
age as that which, little rocking, Ii.
/ was about to take. That he realized
S some of the perils of his sitnatio,
j, was evident i'll the extreme gravityo o
i. his features, which were in marked
e contrast with the reckless and mock
j, ing faces Of the mob.
e 1t would be hard to define the ex
{. act moment OF the start. Half doz
). en- men held to the cable, and the bal
l. loon, slowly mounting 3 or feet
3 reelcd to and fro as if it were som
i, monster caught in trap and franti
is cally bent on escape. Now rolling
y its huge bulk this way, now thai
with Donaldson swinging from tn
IS upper hoop, and sGrimwood jerke
IS backward and forward in the basket
Q it frightened Tie crowd into succe.
is sion Of stampedes. Then Donaldso
2 gave an order and Grimwood seize
IS a sand bag and poured its content
s. through the, cordage on a score of uI
,9r turned faces.
g There was a vast laugh all round,
n shower Of handbills from the ca
,e floating to the earth like hundre
', thousand white figures, and before il
t. flight could be realized
1t THE BALLOON SHOT UP )
+. into the clear sky and was soon han.