Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-11-06
LANCASTER. WISCONSIN. THURSDAY NovEMBERs 1879

wide margin OF time for what chos
to consider fun. | wouldn't bottle
! you with this preface If it didn't lea.
up to what am about to tell you.
fell into a way of going off by myseli
or with few others. and spendin,
from day to fortnight, either il
whirling about the city or in raisin.
the dust on. OF town in whatever Iii
rection inclination happened to sent
US.
To come at once to Hecuba
was on one of these country spree
that 1 found myself with only on,
companions young fellow with whom
| had become quite intimate, TO wha
| am able now to perceive was on
mutual disadvantage. His name wa,
Livingston. He belonged TO the old
and extensive family OF Livingston,
that is scattered all over eastern anC
southeastern New York, and, am
sorry to say, was little credit to bis
relatives Ed never lacked money
Tough his father was far from
wealthy and be himself was never
known to turn his hand at anything
Where he got his funds was a mys
terry to all of US, but he never Dor
rowed, and We all liked him for his
animal high spirits Ed and myself
had left New York over week be
fore with two others, who had sober
ed up and gone home. We brought
up, as | have said, in the little vii
lage OF Canandaigua, on hat used
to be called "the old road" as dis
tinguished from the more recently
built and direct line of the New York
Central railway. We had intended
going through to Buffalo to see some
commercial acquaintance, with a
view to raising the roof off the city.
From Buffalo we designed going
home by way of Pittsburgh and Phil.
adelphia. But fate landed us in Ca
nandaigua, and
WE NEVER WENT FARTHER
For several stations east the train had
been taking up loads of people, al,
bound for the village; aud this went
on until they were standing in the
als'es of the cars and crowding each
other most intentionally. Ed had
been doing awhile, but their chatter
and loud laughing brought him back,
and he began to inquire what had oc
casioned the picnic. They told US
there was to be balloon ascension
in Canandaigna, and that they were
going up to see it. In response to
other inquiries they gave us the fur
Their inforTatio that the balloon was
the City OF Boston, and the balIoonist
a Prot. Fl. J. Kane that the ascen J..
sion was to occur at o'clock in the
afternoon, and that the professor
would drop from an elevation of Q,
600 feet parachute with cat in it
20 cnt long story short, Ed took a
halt drunken notion that he would
like to stop over and see the balloon
rise; and. lime being very little of an
object with either of us, when the
train drew up at the station at Ca
nandaigua. we sseppaa nat.
Half the population of the coun.
try had driven into town; and the
storekeepers were enjoying ben
eft. The long principal street
swarmed in and out along the side
walk like Gas Ed put it) q railful
OF bait. We soon regretted having
stopped. tor, however interesting
the country folk may have found
it all, il grew to be exceedingly
stupid for US, and in despair OF
killing the time to any advantage
whatever against the next west
bound train should come by, we
went from one sample room" and
''parlor" and exchange" to another
in search of something fit to drink
Pm afraid my taste was little too
fine in those days. for nothing the
place offered was half good enough
for us; and what we did drink in
absence ut better agreed but poorly
with what we had for week pas,
been pouring down our uafor.u
nate throats. 1t was about half
past 3 O'clock when we strag gled
quite unirtentianally into the
neighborhood where
THE BALLOON WAS Icing PREPARED
| In a large lot surrounded by 9
! high fence of raw boards he gres
brownish yellow bulb lazily swung
from side to side with a slight un.
dulation as though it were jus,
waking from heavy Steep. We
elbowed through the throng of ga.
ping rustics surrounding the spot
and paid half.dollar to q man al
the door or gate, and found our,
selves in the presence of the balloon
its master, and perhaps a hundred
spectators scattered about on rude
circus-seats. The professor was IL
anything but seraphic frame Of
mind. He bad calculated on q,
least ten times the gate money ht
was getting, and the clustering
crowds that matched the house
tops near by, the boys 10 the trees
and the patient people in the street,
came in for q handsome and en-
phatic dose of damning. Ed and
myself took it into our heads Il
symps,h re with him, and helr
about the ropes and other furniture
of the OCCASION. He looked at u.
with unconcesled suspicion at first
and even growled a suIlen oath OF
two when Ed. with An unsteadinesi
that was not to be wondered at no
der the circumstances. tripped ovel
a guy rope and sprawled headlone
into the shadow of the balloon, i'm
parting q motion to 1T that drew
cheer from t multitude, who evi
IDENTIFY took its surging for the irs
symptoms of rise. The ludicrou
eide OF the situation seemed &
strike him the next moment, whei
Eds rueful countenance was turned
toward him. and he laughed, and
THAT BROKE THE ICE.
He was little, dry.looking man
with q sun burned face, keen grey
eyes, aud grizzled hair. lis left lel
seemed Q little shorter than tn,
right, go that he limped as b,
walked, but for all that be was a
! - - lie aa . nnx