Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-11-04
MY BALLOON ADVENTURE.
BY JOHN BERWICK HARDWOOD.

you, and you only, Ned, can save
me. It's my bread, the balloon Is, and
not mine only, but that of little Polly, al
school far away in England there. And
they'll make no more Of ripping the De-
fiance' TO ribbons than would Of chipping
the shell of an egg at breakfast, those pep
perry Marseillais."
The situation was, to say the least OF it,
exceedingly awkward. 1t was the evening
of a tete day, in brilliant, sultry, autumn
weather--such as may be looked for in the
south of France-and the Ducasse, or local
festival of st. Mature, village lying on
the coast some two leagues eastward OF Mar
settles, had drawn thither swarm OF the
population of the old Phpcean city.
There was dancing in progress-the merry
twang of the fiddles, floating upward
through the vine-tendrils that hung across
the open window, reached my ears as i
stood beside the bed-but the great at
traction OF the evening was to be balloon
ascent, in the midst of fireworks, on the
part of an English aeronaut who, in the
glowing language of the handbills and
posters that had for ten days past adver.
Used the trip, was described as 1.-THE
famous, the intrepid Oliver Killick, e
ROi des Airs"
As for myself, was simply young
English artist, Edward Holmes by name,
not long since returned from protracted
course of art-study in Rome, and who
found it hard enough, by touching up
photographs, " finishing" the sketches OF
amateurs and taking, at the lowest rate OF
remun eration, the portrait OF whoever IA
vored me with a sitting, to procure the
wherewithal To live. l had been acct
dentally thrown good deal in the compa-
ny of Mr.. Killick, who had for some time
been exhibiting his balloon In various
towns OF the South, and who had shown
me some kindness as a fellow-country-
man; while l, on my part, had a regard
for the old man, whose quaint anecdotes
of his experiences as travelling balloon
list were often amusing, and half OF whose
earnings, as / knew, were sent home tor
the benefit of his little grandchild.
And now serious difficulty had, at the
last moment, arisen. There, in the gar
den of the village inn, fenced off by ropes
and stakes from the pressure OF the crowd
that surged around, was the Defiance,
fully inflated, straining at the cords that
fastened it to the earth and ready for use,
while on his bed lay the unlucky King
of the AR" groanIng and disabled. He
had sent for me to visit him In his rooms
shortly after the occurrence OF the acct
dent--it was merestnmble over loose
plank and fall wn-stairs-and though
/ sympathized with him most sincerely
/ had been quite at a loss for an expedi-
ent. Mr. Killick was heavy, elderly
man. and in the fall had severely sprained
his right wrist and injured his thumb, be-
sides receiving a cut on the left temple
from which the blood slowly trickled.
That's nothing" he said, half queru-
lously. as | examined the hurt; 1--WE had
worse in touching ground many's the day.
IT'S the thumb that does signify, the
thumb and the wrist / can't handle the
valve ropes with this crippled arm any
more than school girl could do it. And
what's to happen nowg"
Nv first idea was that the accident and
the consequent inability of the balloonist
to give the promised exhibition should be
notified and an apology made TO the pub
lie: but the veteran decidedly negatiyed
this apparently Obvious proceeding. lie
reminded me of the irascible character Of
mob everywhere, and above all of
Southern French mob, and assured me OF
what could readily believe, that no ex-
cuse would be accepted by the fiery Mar
seillais, baked Of the long looked-io
treat of an ascent. They would certainly
destroy the balloon, and not improbably
execute Lynch law in some form on the
aeronaut, while the very loss of the De
fiance would be serious disaster to its
owner. Then, too, a rich landed pro
prietor OF the neighborhood--a vain
young man, with a taste for notoriety-
had offered fifteen Louis dor TO be taken
up as passenger; and TO disappoint M.
Victor de Villeneuve and lose 80 francs
was also an unwelconie contingency
To my great surprise Mr. Klllick pro-
posed that | should go.upin bis stead and
undertake for the occasion the Office OF
aeronant | had indeed accompanied
HIM while we were both at Nice in two
short ascents and had learned from him