Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-08
Gales ana Sketftts.
snIYn's BALLOON JoURyEY.

RBO0O III uIS buOurst Woys II hhC Pst o~"~
Be permitted. when he produced his card.
on which was engraved Josiah Smith, +.
R. s. A." Also II was known among his
friends that casual references to his great
work on "Underground England were
not displeasing to him. Bui. as be was
wont TO say. THE surest way Of finding
either mental or bodily recreation is to
seek Il 10 fresh fields Of lsbor-
Thus It came To pass one evening in the
spring Of this year that Josiah. having
shut himself 10 all day with the determi-
nation To make up for lost time. found he
had, with the aid Of cold tea and wet ban
dages, added as much as half a page to
his great work. Feeling in the need Of
little change Of thought and association,
he had availed himself of an invitation
kindly sent to him to join the meeting Of
an aeronautic society. Josiah had listened
with profound attention to the various
speeches made. and had thought. really.
when he bad a little more time he would
devote il to the fascinating science OF aero
nautics.
Among the guests of the society. and
indeed the hero Of the evening. was Cap
tain Mulberry, the famous guardsman.
who devoted much natural talent and
considerable portion Of his life to the en-
deavor to kill or hopelessly MAIN himself.
Having tried most things. he had taken to
ballooDing, ~ Offering the largest amount
Of risk In the least POI . be space Of time.
lie had been up in all kinds Of balloons in
all possible circumstances. and had come
down In various ways. He had just now
achieved great feat, making a voyage
from the Grampian Hills to the
Orkney Islands. The society desiring
TO do him honor had invited him TO
this meeting. and Josiah had heard him
describe his perilous voyage. Many NOV
ing stories Of his escapes were detailed.
Josish listened with enthralled attention
TO All Adventure which, il seems, the Cap
tain had had in Spain. and which Josiah's
companion(a bald-headed gentleman with
spectacles) narrated with great effect.
Mulberry Is one of tie marches of the
Carlists.to whom he had attached himself.
was surprised and taken prisoner by the
enemy They locked him in the kitchen
Of farm house near mentioning incident
ally that in the morning they would shoot
him. They took away his sword and
pistols, and would have taken his umbrella.
but the Captain pleaded hard for its So
ciety. declaring that from early boyhood
he had never been able to sleep without
an umbrella under bis pillow. The
Spaniards had heard much of the eccen-
tricity Of Englishmen. and not being in
clined To refuse the request OF doomed
man. they left him the umbrella.
The next morning. when they came to
take him out for shooting purposes, 10
the Captain and the umbrella were both
gone. There was good deal of SCOT
about the place. and regarding this and
other signs Of hasty fight. the truth flash
ed upon the Spaniards. There had been
q fire In the CRATE. The Captain had
opened the umbrella inside the chimney
waited ill IL had been inflated with the
warm air. and then. hanging on to the
handle. had been drawn up clear to the
top and descending in neghboring field.
had shut up his umbrella and walked off.
Dear me ~ said Josiah; show very
interesting. suppose the chimneys are
wide in Spain?''
Very wide. indeed" said the bald
headed gentleman in spectacles.
When the meeting came 10 an end Josiah
walked along Pail Mall meditating on
these things and on the comparative OBJ
security OF the work he had assigned to
himself. While others were soaring in high
places. he was burrowing underground.
Both were in search of knowledge. Both
desired b. benefit their fellowmen. Both
the two Josiahs felt that the aeronauts had
the advantage of the undergraduates. 1t
was too late for him TO think of striking
out a new path; but he thought that if he
had to begin life again he would soar
hilepondering on these matters. he was
startled by heavy hand laid upon his
shoulder. and heard CHEEKY voice ex-
claim:
''Csot match in your pocket old man?'
He looked up and there. somewhere on
level with the lantern in the neighbor- |
ing lamppost. was the genial face OF Cap |
tain Mulberry.
NO." said Josiah. I'm sorry have
not.''
Don't smoke. Ell You don't look the
kind Of old boy to have any pleasant vices |
| saw ypu in the Balloon Society's rooms
just nov. and rather took a fancy to you.''
''You are very kind" Josiah said blush
ing up to where in earlier and happier
days the roots Of his hair had been. II
am sure feel 1t great honor.
IF You don't mind me saying so,
think your the MISUNDERSTANDING old hoy
have seen in days ride. like inno-
cence. particularly when combined with
middle age. 1t IL the rarest thing in the
world Ihope you'll come and dine with
me some night ut my club"
II should like It very much indeed"
said Josiah. 1--WE are close az my rooms
just here in King street live-and if
YOU would step in you might light your
cigar" n
"Thaaks Iwill. You won't mind me
making up to Jon in this way; but. pom
my hopor, took such . liking to your
face. seeing 1t 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 tremor of delight. which
presently subsidized into q soft glow Of con-
tentment. - the Captain. stretching him
self out over ~ 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 balloon
adventu-es than he had communicated to
the eminent society in whose rooms they
had met.
by the way. he said, II am going to
make ballon excursion tomorrow. |
didn't mention il to the society because
these fellows CAB so. There'd be a great
crowd round. and I'd only be hampered.
When vo,, u,aan vork the Less vo,, say