Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1882-01-19

ballon bu.tei-if nothing worse. NO!
, I have calculated the chances. We
will run hetore the storm.
"But this does Mt look much like
running" l said 1--WE are not mov'
lug u hairs breadth"
'Wa,t u bit There will be wind
enough, | promise YOU. within live
m.nur-s," observed nv companion
"You see.' h. continued, "sverv
shower hA. it. own WIN !. and II sl-
WAVE lead. the lhundrr clouds dis
t.nc. of three or f,nt miles nhrah.
When that catches us, we Will scHh
| in .dvance ni the ram, ,hirk.
Just then the gigantic shade"
swept ACROSS the sun aud almost the
same ,ao'nrnt g'e~t cold wave
see ned 10 break against us The bal
loon ro.k-d like boat ut sea.
One after anot 1er the vast Rrlal
pillows struck ns. We bobbed up and
down like cork. A nomant later
the fresh damp current caught ns on
IT'S mighty wing. The "C.rri~r Pig
cot" duck"d her Lofty head to tn. le.-
! ward, then slowly gathering he, ,iwAy
s,i|rd mi :-tlc*Ily Oft before the
shower
See III II, exclaimed Ned. "My
ia. orv hollis.
A, length the shower spent itself.
Th- A.sh-a aud thu loud rafting pea's
ceased after \ time AMI the black
wall of clona. broke np in mist
!; wac y-,tin, toward annset
ut will soon he roo ting time,
n . r-tnark-,. Now hunt tor y
sDt spot, AMI nntvi' s 'h- valve line
h. gave u steady pull AT it. Instant
ly. Il e whistle Of .plhg ga1 sound
-l the 6rst warning notes Of that mos
try ing. and p.r,lous ordeal OF ali aro
nau, hf.-a l.sr-nt. Fo" the frs
tim that .f'-rnoon a look Of gravity
ov-r-p'.~' Ned . face.
Its -asy going up an sailing af
t-r Won are up he nssd to say. IT.
trp getting down that tells the s'or.
IL ls II curi,,H sensation, tins Honk
,lown, YOU fr..l yourself so light
.,nAins-slnklns-aa il \ floor be
meath MAS falling. Sull horne on by
air current, the b,lloon aagyrd on
slowly towards the .arth. ~ it stru"g
on long. Descending guy; or rather
should pav, the earth, With Ill it's
array Of orcha,d-. farms and h-lns
rose steadily 10 NEE, us.
W. are now rot more than eight
or ten !undled f,e' from the ground,
lending sIuwly downward. WHEN sud
l-nly W. seemed to strike into
T. esl, Quick Aind which whi-k-d IL
a org .''h 1t So sha'plv d'" i
>t,lk. MS 'ha the basket luichrd AM
~Wnug
"'rh- ground curr.nt!' mnt,ersd
Md II was afraid Of it, Genera
iv after shower there fresh breeze
ong the ground
W. instantly let Ro'he valve lin"
to close the throttle and threw on
the little ballast we had left. bnt j,
was 100 late. We had let out too
lunch gas to rise but brief distance.
The & reat 81 ken globe above ne.
arlnkling with 'enf-ning noise, like
the rafting Of sheet iron. swaved AID
shook and then tended still lower.
"A hard llg,'lng thus tim. old frI-
low .xc,~l'nr'l Ned Il. yonr Lrck
insured 2
-Four thon and dollars on it, my
moy," said 'Pollcy runs to my
dear old mother"
"AlI righ. then. H.ng hard ! I'm
going to terow out the prApp'e. aud
nv co.nra'le tossed ont the first Of tn.
two anchors. Tao hnnlrel fee, OF
line went wizzing of h. reel Still
the anchor did not touch the earth,
but SWING clear and went dangling
over roc fl and tree tops, as VIZ few
along with the speed Of railway
tran.
Our grappls hook ratified over sew
era! roofs; then dangling for some dis
tance al owe the main street, canQh'
the .npp-nded 'ope Of a large cam
paign flag which We hsn'ed after III
for a rn,e or two A tremend >ns hoo
yah rose in the rear. Twas Ha, e'
and Wheeler flag w. carried it fl
euonph for me to read the names