The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-07-24
A Balloon Adventure. A

| privilege ol place ny tueinlue oI lne
celebrated aeronaut. The weather
was splendid and the balloon had
reached considerable height.
"What effect has it on 5you?@ in
quired NJ. GODDARD of his companion.
"None whatever was the curt
reply.
II must compliment yoq said M.
GODDARD. "You are the first amateur
l have ever known to roadh this at
titude without experiencing some
emotion"
GO higher" said the amatucr
coolly.
NJ. GODDARD threw out some ballast,
and the balloon flew up some. sixty
yards higher.
"Now how do you feelP9
"Just as usual" said the compan-
ion, in rather petulant tone.
'By Jove!" exclaimed N. GODDARD,
you are a born aoronaut, sirP
The balloon kept on rising, and
when few hundred yards higher,
M. GODDARD, for the third time, ques-
toned his companion as 70 his emo
tions.
"Emotions! not trace of emo
tion," replied he, with theitone of a
man who feels that he has been ta-
ken in.
"Wcll, so much the worse" said
the aeronaut. ~ see | shall not be
able 20 alarm you; we have risen high
enough, and we shall now descend" !"
"Descend."
ayes, certainly; it will be danger
GUS to go higher"
81 don't care about the danger, and
l don't choose to descend. I'm going
higher, am, paid a thousand
francs in order to experience some
emotions, and emotion rll.have be-
fore going down again"
NJ. GODDARD burst out laughing. He
thought the man was joking.
care Won going up higher or not2"
said the companion; at The same
time grasping NJ. GODDARD BY ethe
throat aed shaking III
"1 intend to have my etnotions."
NJ. GODDARD saw at a glance that he
had to do with amadman. The dila-
ted eyes, the furious grasp, the very
tone of his voice left no doubt about
that.
But what was to be done? They
were some three thousand feet high
among the clouds; n struggle was out
of the question, as one violent mo-
tion Of the mailman would be enough
to upset the cur. All these thoughts
passed through NJ. Godard's mind in
less than q second. His adversary
was powerful man, and, without
loosening his grasp, he called out:
"Ah, my fine, fellow, you have been
playing the fool with me. You have
made me pay one thousand francs
and not given me a single emotion" F"
"Well, but what would you have
me do?' asked NJ. GODDARD, calmly and
soothingly,
"Im going to throw you over, " said
the madman with wild laugh; but
first an idea strikes me; I'll go up to
the top of the balloon and, suiting
the action to the word, he jumped in
to the rigging of the car.
"But, my poor friend" said the
aeronaut, you'll kill yourself like
that
The mailman uttered a threat
"At least, said NJ. GODDARD, let me
put a rope round your waist to pre-
vent an accident"
"Well, be it so," said the madman,
who seemed to see the necessity of
some precaution, and the rope hav-
ing been attached he recommended
climbing the rigging of the balloon
with the agility of a squirrel and in
n few moments was seated on the
apex, clapping his hands and shout
ing with joy. All at once he takes
out of his pocket n large clasp-knife,
and, brandishing it above his head,
yclls out; "Now, you rascal! you
wanted to descend, did youH So you
shall with a vengoancc!' and, before
NJ. GODDARD can utter a word, four out
of the six ropes attaching the car to
the balloon are cut, and the car itself
swinging hclplessly outside. The
mndmnn'S knire was now touching