Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-16
A HAZARDOUS ADVENTURE.

wANTED.-Four persons who are bent upon
committing suicide, to engage in q hazardous
No. Blank street. after nine o'clock in the
morning.
Captain Cowgirl inserted the above
advertisement in three of the morning
papers, with only a faint expectation
that it would be responded to. But the
result was that between nine o'clock and
noon five men and two women called at
his Office to inquire respecting the ma
ture of the proposed adventure, and to
offer their services in the event that it
should involve nothing of a criminal
character. OF these seven, Captain
Cowgirl selected four, three young men
and n young woman, and when he
dismissed the others he shut the door
and said to the four applicants:
"What l want you for is this: I have
made up my mind that the North Pole
can never be reached by an exploring
party travelling upon ships and sledges.
The only route that is possibly practi-
cable is through the air, and the only
available vehicle, Of course, is a balloon.
But an attempt to reach the pole in a
balloon must expose the explorers to
desperate risks, and it occurred to me
that those risks had better be taken by
persons who do not value their lives,
than by persons who do. 1t has always
seemed to me that a part of the sin Of
suicide lies in the fact that the life wan
tonly sacrificed might have been ex-
pended in a cause which would have
conferred benefits, directly or indirect
ly, upon the human race. I have a
large and superbly equipped balloon,
which will be thoroughly stocked for a
voyage to the Arctic regions, and,
among other things, it will contain ap-
paratus for making fresh supplies of
hydrogen gas. Are you four persons
willing to make the required attempt in
this balloon?"
All four of the visitors answered,
~Yes."
Were you going to sacrifice your
An affirmative answer was given by
the four.
''Permit me to take your Names"
said Captain Cowgirl, and he wrote
them down as follows: William P.
Crutter, DR.. Henry O'Hagan, Edmond
Jarnyille, Mary Dermott.
Val OluUCOA va a lA1dA apparently VI
about sixty years, handsomely dressed,
manifestly a gentleman, but with a
flushed face, which indicated that he had
perhaps INDUCED to some extent in dis.
sipation.
DR.. O'Hagan was thin, pallid and
careworn. He looked as if he were ill,
and as if all Joy were dead in his heart.
MI. Jarnville appeared to be a work
lngman, but his ~countenance, sad as it
was, was full of intelligence, and his
manner was that of a man who had
occupied a social position much above
the lowest.
Miss Dermott sat with an air of deiec.
ton, with her hands in her lap, with q
thin and faded shawl pinned around her,
and with her pale cheeks suggestive Of
hunger and mental suffering.
"My hope" said Captain Cowgirl, sis
that you will safely reach your destina.
ton, and safely return. But you fully
understand that the chances are against
you. For my own protection I will ask
you to certify in writing that you &c
with full knowledge of the risks. I will
initiate the balloon tomorrow. Day afte,
tomorrow come to this office at nine
o'clock, and you shall make the ascen.
sion at once"
On the appointed day the four volun.
teers appeared, and Captain Cowgirl
drove with them in a carriage to a yarG
in the outskirts of the city, where the
balloon, inflated and swaying to and frc
in the wind, was held to the earth with
stout ropes. The three men were sup.
piled with warm clothing, but Miss
Dermott had only her threadbare shawl,
and SO Captain Cowgirl gave her his
overcoat and two blankets which he
took from the carriage.
While the voyagers were taking thei1
places in the commodious car attached
to the balloon, a young man entered the
yard and hurriedly approached Captain
Cowgirl.
II am going with the balloon" he
said, almost fercely, and hardly deign.
ing to look at the Captain.
"Impossible!" said the Captain. "The
crew is made up. You don't compre.
bend III purpose"
"Yes, l do" said the young man.
"These people are would-be suicides,
and they are starting for the Pole. ]
am going along"
But my dear sir" began the
Captain in a tone of expostulation.
Il will go or I will SLAP myself right