The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-06-15
NUMBER 25.

| the ropes broken down, and in the strug-
gle the aeronaut lost his hold on the rope
| attached to the balloon
A cry of horror at once burst from the
crowd.
eff they don't get frightened, and try
to jump" said the aeronaut, they're all
right. The balloon can't stay up more
than four or five hours at the longest, and
there isn't wind enough to carry it many
miles. Besides they may come down
in half an hour. Balloons are uncer-
tain"
The boys showed no signs Of fear, how
ever; they waved the flag which they
bags of ballast upon the crowd below.
Then they rose higher and higher and
drifted away out Of sight
When the news reached Brightview,
which it did an hour later, the excite
ment in the little village was intense
Every eye was turned to the sky in the
vain hope of catching a glimpse Of the
wandering balloon. The two stricken
mothers wrung their hands and wept.
Willie's father was away on business, but
Johnny's, when the news arrived, lost no
time in harnessing his horse and setting
out for town.
"Don't give way till the worst is
known" he said to his wife, as he stepped
into his wagon. There are five chances
out of ten that they will turn up all right
As soon as the balloon lands the news will
be telegraphed, and I shall not come
back until hear from them"
There was some comfort in this retleC-
ton, but not enough to set the hearts Of
the women completely at rest.
Meanwhile the two boys, mile-high,
were waited along by the afternoon breeze,
with no more apparent motion than if
they had been seated on the ground. The
idea of being afraid never entered their
heads. They could look over the edge of
the basket and see the town below them,
with the fields and farms and rivers
spread out as on a map. 1t seemed as if
they we're hanging still in the air, and the
earth was turning slowly beneath them.
"We're getting our ten cents worth o.
ride, anyhow said Johnny, after pro
longed gaze at the earth. 81 bet that
mans mad because he let the rope slip.
It's just as much of sight, though, TO
see us go up as him"
but how are we going to get down,
Johnny ?" asked Willie, who was begin
ming to feel a little hungry and cold.
"I don't know" answered Johnny.
We don't want to get down now Time
enough to think of it by and by"
There was an overcoat in the basket,
and Willie pulled it over his shoulders
with a shivcr.
Both boys were silent for some time;
then Willie said:
al wonder what our folks III think has
become of u.s."
"Sure enough" echoed Johnny. 81
had not thought anything about that. OF
course the Billings boys II go home and
tell, and then mother II be almost fright
ened to death"
"They II think we're killed." said
Willie in "a tremblingvoicc, land | know
Just how mother II take on. Let's get
down. Gomez
Yes, but how are we going top said
Johnny. "That's the question. I'm
afraid We'll have to wait till il gets ready
to go down itself, and it feels all the time
as if it was getting higher and higherm
The tears stood in Wille's eyes.
g | read in a newspaper that when folks
want to come down out of balloon they
prick holes in it. Now, if we had some
pins you and | would climb up and give
the old thing good sticking. And it's
growing dark, too"
And it was. The sun had gone down,
and the shadows lay long and black across
the fields and in the valleys. Here and
there the lights were already beginning to
twinkle below, while above, the sky was
thick with stars.
There was another long silence.
CANT you afraid johnny" at last in
quired Willie.
"Afraid? no! What's the use Of being
afraid? We can't hit anything up here,
and l know Well come down some time.
I'm cold, though.
"You put on this coat little while,
Johnny, said Willie "I'm real warm
now, and can hear your teeth chatter"
"No, no. Keep it on yourself. like
to be cold. It's real fun TO have your
teeth chatter. wonder what this ropes
for! Perhaps there's bell up above
somewhere. If there is I'll have ring
out of it."
A queer, rushing sort of sound follow
ed the pull; the balloon quivered and
shook for a moment as if it had struck
against some opposing substance, and
then it seemed as ifi were slowly sinking
toward the earth.
Hold on, Williew shouted Johnny.
''I bet we've done it now. We're going
down, sures you live! I've pulled the
string that held the balloon stuff in, and
we shall hit something in a minuteH'
They held their breath and waited, but
nothing happened.
"We're standing still again." said
Johnny, looking over the side" 81 but
we've dropped good ways. We must
have been much as twenty miles high
when I pulled the rope, and now we're
down so low l can hear bells ringing
somewhere"
"It's prayer meeting night" said Will
lie, Friday night, and they're ringing
for that. Perhaps my mother hears it,
too"
"More likely it's for nine O'clock" re-
turned Johnny, land we're much as
thousand miles away from Brightvlew
now. Perhaps when we come down we'll
have to sail home in a ship. | hope So"
"Can't you pull the rope again, Johnny,
Just little" asked Willie. 81 can see
houses and lights under us. Pm afraid il
we keep going We'll drop down among
the Indians"
There was another pull on the rope; not
so long nor so strong as before, but The same
rushing sound followed, and the boys felt
that the balloon was descending, not very
rapidly, but still surely to the ground. In
two or three minutes there was violent
jar, and Willie was nearly thrown out of
the basket. They had struck the top Of a
barn, but were almost Immediately