St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-08-13
A Monstrous Hoax

A WEDDING IN MID-AIR.-Just be-
fore the circus exhibited in this place.
the 3lst ult., there were distributed in the
towns about posters advertising "ter-
rife and thrilling spectacle" on the fail
ground circus day. In the words of the
poster: ga sight never witnessed but
once in lifetime" "Novel, wonder
full and beautiful spectacle between the
heavens and the GARTH" "Men jumping
overheard from monster balloons 5000
feet in the sky !" "Sixteen mammoth
balloons in the air at one time I" 1--WE
quote particulars below y
To explain the above, it is necessary
to state that brilliant corps of dis
tinguished aerOnauts, from London,
Paris, Vienna, Berlin, in Europe, New
York, Philadelphia and Boston, have
formed mammoth balloon oreaniza-
ton for the year 1880, and propose t.
make one hundred grand monster bal
loon ascensions, and have selected st.
Johnsbury, as one of the tavOrite points
to carry out the programme of the
grand balloon tournament. Every bal
loon will contain two or more daring
aeronants, who will, when the balloons
reach an altitude of 5000 feet from the
ground, leap overheard, and float gent
ly down to mother earth again by
means of parachutes. A beautiful and
wonderful scene, which has never been
witnessed in the worlds history before.
Just imagine thirty human beings float
ing in the sky at one time, 5000 feet
above the earth, with nothing to sup
port them from a terrible fall but n frail
piece of canvas, and at the same time a
marvellous spectacle of fifteen beautiful
tri-colOred balloons, soaring away
toward the sun.
These balloons will be sixty-five feet
high and forty feet in diameter, and
will all be inflated at once, and by au
arrangement invented by Mr.. Walters,
will all ascend at the same time, thus
giving one of the grandest sights ever
witnessed in the world.
IA THRILLING BALLOON wEDDINGw
The sixteenth balloon will represent
cupid's bridal chariot in which will
ascend Prof. William Parker, who has
made 800 balloon ascensions, and has
never yet met with an accident. At 5
O'Clock P. M, a grand balloon marriage
of young lady and gentleman, well
known in this vicinity, will take place
in the bridal chariot, while suspended
in the air, in full view of the spectators.
Telephones will be attached to the bri-
dial chariot, and from thence to the diff
ferent portions of the vast congregation
below, that all may hear the marriage
ceremony with the same ease and dis
tinctness as in church or parlOr. At
the conclusion of the marriage cere-
mOny the balloon will be lowered to
the earth, the bride will be presented
with one hundred dollars in gold. The
balloon will then be let loose, and the
wedding party started on their heaven
ly tOuI of bliss.
Bring your wives, sons, daughters
and friends along, and witness these
grand, sublime and novel attractions
which will throw all other exhibitions
in the shade, and which may not again
occur during a century.
We are told that people from towns
all about came in on purpose to see the
spectacle advertised above. 1t is need
less to add that there was nothing of
the kind, and the advertisement was
probably simply to get a crowd of
people here where their pockets could
be picked-either legally OF illegally.