Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-25

III WAS tOO lutC LOT lllll |
o think Of striking out II new path but
lie thought that if he had to begin life
'gain he would soar.
While bordering on these matters, he
was startled by heavy hand laid upon
MS shoulder, and heard CHEEKY voice
,xclaim
SCOT Il match i'll your pocket, old
man ~
He looked up, and there, somewhere on
a level with the lantern in the neighbor-
ing lamp-post, was the genial face of
Capt. Mulberry.
mo" said Josiah "Im sorry I have
not"
"Don't smoke, Ell? You don't look the
kind Of old boy to have any pleasant
vices. / saw you in the Balloon Society's
rooms Just row, and rather took fancy
TO you"
lyon are very kind" Josiah said,
blushiug up fo where in earlier and hap
pier days the roots of his hair had been.
II am sure feel it great honor.
"If you don't mind me saying 30
think you're the innocentest looking Old
boy have seen in days ride. l like
innocence, particularly when combined
with middle age. 1t is the rarest thing
in the world. | hope you'll come and
dine with me some night at my club. ~.
II should like it very much indeed,
said Josiah 1--WE are close at my rooms
Just here in King street live--and if
you would step in you might light your
cigar"
''Thanks. will. You won't mind me
making up to you III this way, but pom
my honor, took such liking to your
face, seeing it among that mass of hum
bug where we were Just now, that | was
going to speak to you then only could
| not get near YOU"
Josiah was in trcmoro of delight, which
presently subsidized into a soft glow OF
contentment rs the Captain, stretching
himself out over as much of the couch as
he could find in the little room, not only
lit his cigar, but praised Josiah's claret
and told him good deal more of his bal
loon adventures than he had communica.
ted to the eminent society i'll whose rooms
they had met.
"By the way he said II am going t.
make balloon excursion tomorrow.
didn't mention it to the society because
the fellows Cab so. There'd be great
crowd round, and I'd only have beer
hampered. When yon mean work, the
less YOU say about it beforehand the bet
ter. That is what ] have always found
Ever mp in n balloon?'
"No," said Josiah "but I should very
much like to CO.
| He had drank whole tumbler of clare
in honor of his distinguished company
and being accustomed to more moderate
measure, had begun to think going up il
n balloon was after Ill n mere ordinar,
performance.
"What do you ride" asked the Cap
tain, looking him up and down, as if eithel
about to measure him for "a suit of clothes
or considering where he could most nd
vantagcously plant blow from his OK
foot-like fist.
"A pony--at least, used to ride {
pony when ] was at home but that is {
long time ago, and have not riddel
much since"
81 mean, what do You weigh, said the
Captain, laughing.
"a little over ten stone
as it possible why, pull the scales
at seventeen stun. ia give something Il
be your weight. Think of the ballast
You might take mp with you"
as that an i'm portant thing ?" Josial
|
edge manifesting itself.
"It's simply everything. That's how
managed to get over to the Orkneys
These fellows that go up in balloons
which they fit up like tirst-hoor rooms
and take everything with them except {
feather bed, don't know anything about
it. They go fumbling around with few
pounds of ballast, and when they get into
n wrong current there they stick. Now
between You and me, Mr.. Smith, don't
mind telling you my secret of successful
ballooning. Take MS much ballast as yor
can carry, and when you get stuck in {
calm or carried of by a wrong current
ont goes yonr ballast, up You shoot, ge
into another current, and there you are
Ten stun ~ he murmured, gazing wist
fully upon the spare figure of his host
"Thcrc ought to be good deal done will
that. Tell yon what, old chappie, Vol
shall como with me tomorrow.
Josiah had been few moments ag,
possessed with burning desire to 60 VI
in balloon, but at these words the fir
wen: ont and he felt cold chill steal owe
his body. Still, he would like to go ; bu
not tomorrow. If it were next montl
on next week it would he different. Blu
Tomorrow was so sudden.
81 rather fancy have an engagement
Tomorrow" he said, producing his pock
ct diary and anxiously gazing on it in tn
moath of December
Nonsense p said the Captain, laying
his large hand OH Josiah's shoulder, con
veying to him an impression that if III
pleased he could take hin up, put him il
his coat-tail pocket, walk off, and thinl
no more about him till lie landed him ii
a balloon. "You have no engagement
and if you had you couldn't find it b.
holding your book upside down. Yol
come along with me. There's not tn
slightest danger, and it's not every maj
who has crossed the Channel in bal
LOOM"
"The Channel.' cried Josiah feebly
He had thought of some little excursion
Perhaps in the fields ten or twenty mile
off. II don't think 1 would like to stan
, with the Channel. Suppose we begi
somewhere else and try the Channel late
on. 1t will be better-if anything haI
pened, you know-to have the waite
warm.
"Nonsense," said the Captain, cheerily
1--WE shall never be nearer the water tina
! 1000 feet Well dine in Paris to-morro
) night, and I'll take you to the Closer
after dinner. 1t will do them good
see you there. Now that's settled, an
| you'd better go to bed straight off. We
: have to be mp early in the morning
l catch the mail train for Dover. I've g
. my balloon there all ready, and We
e start about noon."
: This was perfectly horrible. Josia
Y felt as if it was hideous nightmare, an
e he had dim hope that presently /
3 would wake up. But there was the bu
y ly form of the Captain before him, wit
$ his third cigar sticking in the side of Ii
a mouth, and pleased smile upon his fac
4 in anticipation of this new adventure.
n Those who have learned something
0 the character of Josiah by reading earle
| nhop fara nf h;o h;atnry will NOT naaJ