The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-26
HOW DONALDSON DIED.
a cLARvoYANrs GRAPHIC STORY.
Revelations Alleged to Have been Made
to IA Reading Pa0 Medium by the
Spirit of the Dead Aeronaut-
An Interesting Recital.
IPhiladelphia Fnss.l


since he started on that perilous balloon
voyage from the lake front, Chicago. The
Professor was considerate enough to try
to clear up the mystery, and told the
young lady all about his perlous voyage
and the terrible experiences accompany
ing it.
Ihe young lady's story is as follows?
"rhe fact is for the past ten days have
seen the face of the same man every day.
was in the spirit land. l call it spirit
land, it is so much prettier, think, than
the clairvoyant state; the latter is so vul-
gar and common, and, am told, there is
so much humbug in it,"
BY this time eleven people had assembled
In the parlor and formed circle about the
girl. The gas was turned down just a
triae, and in very short time the parents
nodded and pointed to their daughter,
whose face had turned slightly upward.
Her eyes closed and her hands rested to-
gether on her lap. She sat upon hassock,
and it was at least three minutes Of silence
before she spoke again. The measured tick
Of the clock, the low hum of the gas, the
cracking Goals in the CRATE, the hurryiug,
creaking footsteps on the pavement in the
icy air of night alone broke the stiffness.
81 see the same mans face coming
toward me again." said the young medium.
"He has black, wavy hair, well rounded
head, large, short neck, dark complexion,
and black mustache. As he comes nearer
to me see that one of his eyes is dark and
the other light On one of his cheeks see
black mark. 1t is mole or birthmark Of
some kind.
"He looks at me as II seeking some one
he cannot find. This is the eleventh time
have seen his face. He seems to want me to
speak to him, and appears to be in trouble
because did not speak to him before. /
now speak to him and his eyes light up and
sparkle with delight. He smiles and says:
az am glad you spoke to me. You are
the first to greet me from the world below
since left it. Why did you not speak to
me before! Do you not know me? No,
you do not You were too young when
lived in your city. But no doubt you heard
of me. My name is Donaldson. was
called Professor Donaldson. Here the
came doubly interested.l Don't you re.
member my name9 Iwent up in balloons
in Reading and gave entertainments with
presents TO all the little children and the
grown folks too. Tell your father aud
those people near you who am; they will
remember me. Also tell them that want
10 clear up the mystery of my strange
death.
"'Some say that am not dead and will
come back to my old home and friends
once more. This Is not so. | am now out
Of the earth and flesh and am in the spirit
world.
Everybody who remembers me will
remember that never was heard from
after went up In the balloon at Chicago.
That was my last ascension. Our balloon
was caught in terrible windstorm in the
upper current. never experienced such
a sorm on land. Il blew our balloon.bas-
ket TO pieces. My friend, or friends were
blown out Of the basket-car, leaving
me up in the rigging, sitting ON the hoop of
the balloon. saw everything below me
blown into shreds. Then the gas.chamber
Of the balloon made fearful plunge and
careened TO one side, and threw me and the
hoop upward, and for few minutes was
sailing through the air ON top of the bal
loon. That was the strangest ride ever in
dulged in by mortal man. The few minntes
seemed like an age. had the presence OF
mind to grasp hold Of the netting, so that
1t would not slip down and release the gas
chamber. Then the gas began TO escape
from the mouth of the balloon, and it
would have suffocated me had not the
storm hurled us through the air at a terri
BILE pace. was far above the clouds, but
how far could not tell, because all our in.
struments had been blown into the lake.
tried all could TO have the balloon right
itself. l got way down on the side Of tho
balloon and pulled at the hoop and rig.
ging but IL would not come.
"Then went back and tied myself TO
the end Of a strong rope around the body
and fastened IL 10 the iron hoop, 80 that
II ] should be blown of / would not drop
to tho earth. Then crawled out on the
side Of the balloon again, further than
before. Just as l had finished this the
balloon gave another awful lunge, and
was thrown off into space, but was held
by tho rope. Tho balloon then righted,
and was dangling In mid-air nearly out
OF breath because Of the sudden jar, and
the rope, tightening about my body,
severely cut me. How long hung that
way l could not tell, because l was
nearly dead with fear, terror. exhaustion