Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1883-04-05
A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.

A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
WANTED -Four persons who are bent
4 w upon committing suicide, TO engage
III In IA hazardous adventure. Apply, Ac., tG
: Captain Cowgirl, No. - Blank street, after
: . O'Clock IN the morning.
Captain Cowgirl inserted the above
advertisement in three OF the morning
papers, with only faint expectation
that it would be responded to. But the
s result was that between 8 o'clock and
noon five men and two women called at
his office to inquire respecting the ma
ture of the proposed ad venture, and to
offer their services in the event that it
/ should involve nothing of "a criminal
Cowgirl selected four three men and
one young woman, and when he dis
missed the others, he shut the door and
said to the four applicants -
"What wanted you for is this
have made up my mind that the North
Pole can never he reached by an ex-
ploring party, travelling upon ships and
sledges. The only route that is practi-
cable is through the air, and the only
available vehicle of course Is a balloon.
But al attempt to reach the pole in "A
balloon must expose the explorers to
desperate risks and ii occurred to me
that those risks had better be taken by
persons who do not value their lives,
than by persons who do. II has al ways
seemed to me that part Of the sin of
suicide lies in the fact that the life wan
tonly sacrificed might have been expen-
ded in IA cause which would have con-
ferred benefits, directly or indirectly,
upon the human race. | have n large
and superbly equipped balloon, which
will be thoroughly stocked for voyage
to the Arctic regions, and, among other
things, it will contain apparatus for
making fresh supplies of hydrogen gas.
Are You four persons willing To make
the required attempt in this balloon 90
All four of the visitors answered, |
eyes"
"Wcre you going to sacrifice your
lives AT any rate" ''
An affirmative answer was given by
the four.
Permit me 10 take your names,'
said Captain Cowgirl, and he wrote
them down AS follows William =.
Cruttcr, DR.. Henry O'Hagan, Edmond
Jarnvile, Mary Dernort.
Mr.. Crntter was Il man apparently of
about sixty years, handsomely dressed,
manitrstly a gentleman. but with a
flushed face, which Indicated that he
had perhaps INDUCED to some extent in
dissipation.
DR.. O'Hagan was thin, pallid and
carcworn He looked as il he were
i'll, and as if all joy were dead III his
heart.
Mr.. Jarnville appeared to be IA work
ingInan, bur his counttnance, sad as it
was, was full Of intelligence, and his
manner was that Of Il man who had
occupied social position much above
the lowest. :
Miss Dermoit sat with an air Of de-
lection, with her hands in her lap, with I
Il thin and faded shawl pinned around |
her, and with her pale checks suggcs-
tive of hunger and mental suffering.
My hope" said Captain Cowgirl,
tinationS, and safely return But YOU
fully understand that the chances I
are against you. For my own prutec- I
ton will ask you TO certify in writing
that you 20 with full knowledge of the ,
risks. will initiate the balloon to- t
morrow. Day after tomorrow come IL
this office at nine o'clock, and yon shall 4
make the ascension at once
On the appointed day the four volnn-
teerS appeared, and Captain Cowgirl ,
drove with .hrm in a carriage to a yard $
in the outskirts Of the city, where the
balloon, inflated and swaying to and fro
in the wind, was held to the earth with
stout ropes. The three men We're sup
piled with warm clothing, but Miss |
Dermott had only her thread are !
shawl ami 50 Captain Cowgirl gave $
her his ovcrcoat and two blankets S
which he took from the carriage. i
White the vuyagerS We're taking their v
places IN the connections ear attached $
to the balloon, a young mal entered Il
the yard and hurriedly approached
Captain Cowgirl.
. am going with the hallO"n," he
said almost ierrtly, and hardly drign- h
ing to look AZ the Captain. ID
Imp"ssihlr" said lhe Captain. G
"Th" crew is made up. You don't COM Y
prrhrnd our p"rposr, p
Ave-. 't'' H'tlN INV NtuIG man. n
These p"opl, are would-br suicides, y
and they are starting for the Pole, Il
all going along." t.
"Bnt, my dear sir" began tn" Capt.
tain in tone OF expostulatiOn. d
g will 90, or will SHAY myself right n
here before you These people are not
my more tired of life than am" \
" Let him come, - said DR.. O'Hagan,
,loomily.
But, returned Captain Cowgirl, 81 =.
III afraid the balloon will be overload r.
ri. lc
~ am going, anyhow said the
ioung man, AS he leaped into the car v
Captain Cowgirl sighed and said, C
Well, have your own way about it
My name is John Winden," re- v
marked the intruder. 81 tell You so ii
hat you will know if any one inquiries
'fter me. But don't imagine anybody
will 81
Then Captain Cowgirl babe farewell to !"
he party, the ropes We're iuu>ed, and
he balloon Went sailing swiftly toward n,
he clouds. DR.. OHagan was the navi- st
,ator III charge Presently "A north. u
aSterly current OF wind struck the "
ir-ship. and il began to move with m
,reat rapidily upon Il horizontal line Il,
For a long Time nobody IN the car
poke. Indeed, the voyagers scarcely or
Dokrd al each other and none had .t
n0uEh curiosity to peer over The side p1
lpon the glorious landscape that lay to
cneath. But, after awhile, Mr.. rrul- ltr
Pr, gazing n Miss Dernott, said
Are v"u fully resolved upon self. IC,
estructiWn''
eyes, " she replied W,
" So am |, SAID Mr.. Clutter 81,
$50 am |, remarked Mr.. Winden. W
"Soam |, observed Mr.. .Iarnvile. ia
And also, added DR., O'lIagan. 70
Even if we reach the Pole safely, CA
nj return, shall not wan, TO live" ia
nd Mr.. Cruttcr su
Neither shall H. said Miss Der wi
Mt II