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

vanccd stage that it might be published
ms "a fragment" and would he sufficient
to carry his name down to remotcst pos
terity. Whether it were not sweetcr thus
to vcx public desire, to give 80 much and
no more, or to satiate the public with the
full accomplishment, was II nice question.
Josiah was inclined to think that, other
things being equal, he would just rs soon
live to finish his work. But he had no
choice, and after all the voyage might
end happily. Captain Mulberry was an
experienced nronaut He had never fail
ed, and why should failure he probable
now?
Josiah made up his mind upon this
point, that if they got safely across in
the balloon he would come back by the
ordinary boat express. Having once
shown his possession of daring spirit,
he would be at liberty to declare his pre-
ference for more prosaic mode of loco
motion.
How he got down to Dover he did not
know. 1t all seemed dream. He had
dim recollection of the Captain thun-
derng at his door at six o'clock in the
morning. He remembered lighting his
Etna, making his cup of coffee, and
thinking as he drank it it might be his
last. Then they must have caught the
train In fact, he remembered the sound
of the rushing carriage, the darkness of
the tunnel, the glories of the dawning
day, and felt around him the bright fresh
sunlit air that made all nature glad.
They drove out to the balloon. which
was down by the gas-works, and was now
in process Of imitation. Josiah looked
upon the monster, swerving first to the
right and then to the left, and threaten
ing every moment to break its bonds and
60 off on its own account If it only
would, what n happy conclusion OF this
painful adventure But he could see
there was no such danger. The captain
, was as cheerful as lark, and looked with
! kindling eye upon what Josiah regarded
as his coffin.
Still, 1t was no use complaining. A
man must die some time, and though
there is much to be said against the pro-
, cess being hurried on by unnecessary Mt
tempts to cross the Channel in n bale Don
, when there ARE well-appointed packet
boats, it was no use arguing the matter.
, There settled upon Josiah certain
mood of quiet despair. What must be
| must, and it was better to avoid n scene
, ami initiate rs closely as possible the
: cheerful indifference of the Captain.
'Iet go all! - cried the Captain, and
Josiah felt his last hour had come. lie
: held his breath and stuck to his hat, be-
ing under the impression that the whole
affair would shoot up into the air like a
rocket He expected to be deafened with
, the noise of wllizzing through the air, and
l to be half suffocated with the rush OF
wind Looking over to get II last look OF
the nature of the soil on which he would
presently fall, Josiah beheld a strange
I sight. As far rs he knew, the balloon
was motionless, while the earth was drop
ping rapidly from under them M ii the
laws of gravitation were irrevocably
broken and the world was falling through
l space.
, 1t seemed but moment since Josial
l had heard the Captain call out, LET &c
all, and there they were in space tho,S
, sand feet above the level of the lnnd
sailing calmly along in bright warm sun
light, with no more motion perceptiblt
, than if they were still sitting in the room
, in King street-that cherished apartment
which Josiah felt his eye would nevel
light ON more.
This won't do" said the Captain
sternly 'we've got into wrong current
and instead of going out to sea are going
|
terbury."
81 have heard Canterbury's very nice
old town." said Josiah at wouldn't bt
, bad place to stop at and if the winds
contrary to-day, it might be right to-mor
: row."
, The Captain said nothing, and Josiah
looking up to see what effect his sugges
ton might have noticed for the first tim,
that on face usually smiling there wer'
possibilities of fixed hard look which i
, evidently didn't beseem him to trih
with.
t The balloon slowly rose till the aneroi,
marked height of 1900 feet, and still
= the current drove it steadily northwest.
"Ths won't do" the Captain sal,
4 again, and Selling bag of ballast 1t
l emptied it. The balloon swiftly rose
and the aneroid marked $500 feet. TIL,
D villages seemed mere spots, the patterI
p of the carpet grew blurred. Nothing
e was distinguishable-nO horse, no
r sheep, nor any living thing.
t "Hurrah y cried the Captain, "we'r'
a off now"
t Nearer and nearer came the belt OF sil
yer which seemed to girdle continent ant
t island. They were close to Dover, ant
: could make out the town. Josiah, know
e ing we'll the irregular plan on which thu
streets are laid out, was struck by tn
g manner in which, rs looked down upoi
: from this height, they formed themselve
g into beautifully defined curves, straigh
u lines, and other highly respectable geo
k metrical shapes. They saw the castl
n and the pier with what seemed to be ant
!, crawling ON it. A little patch of color
y that to Josiah looked like ball Of scat
II let worsted, was, the Captain said, q sen
e try on duty.
II 1t was passing strange and Mt frs
i dreadful, this intense silence and thi
strangeness of the familiar earth. Blu
;. after while everything like terror passe'
|. away from Josiahs mind. He began +
q feel the fascination OF the thing. Hi
It spirits rose us lie breathed the deliciou
IL air, and when the Captain said, I'VE ar
II over the water now," and Josiah lookin
J. down discerned the sea cleaning below
r he could have clapped his hands for Joy.
"This is splendid" said the Captain
'. "We'll be across in half an hour. Wei
n catch the train for Paris, and you shal
W dance at the Closerie tonight"
lie Josiah didn't dance, and didn't kno'
% what the Closerie might be. But he wa
d not without susceptibility to the allure
II ment Of quiet dinner in Paris, and bt
10 gan to feel the exhilaration of having ut
1t complished a perilous feat, to which h
II would certainly drag in some reference
his great work. IT would be difficult, @
IA he was as far ms possible remote froI
ID Underground England" But it migi
,e be worked in in some antithetical ser
r tence.
ii After they had sailed for the space {
is ten minutes the Captain, who had bee
&c throwing out bits of paper, which the
left far behind, suddenly said bad wore
of "We are becalmed." he continued, All
er truly the bits of paper flung out hoate
10 | illy rounl tho balloon 1--WE must u