The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-10-23
A BOLD AERONAUT.

dred and fifty successful balloon ascen-
sions, and has had many peculiar ex-
periences. One OF the best she tells as
follows:
had assembled from Massachusetts,
with the Skylark fully inflated with by
drogen gas, aud with sand ballast 10
balance il The wind-tr made tie
landing places scarce and infrequent
along the ground below, and l was just
going to throw out ballast and seek a
higher current which might drift me
oat of that part of the country. when /
sp;ed three bare spots of ground, all in
row. directly before me, with patches
of woods between, and in the first l
found landing. It proved to be apump-
kin-field. The skylark swooped down.
and with the aid of the wind began
dragging my little netting bordered plat
form across the field. Ipressed down
the edge of the ring or rim supporting G
the netting and iished for pumpkins as
We slid along. BY the time l had
caught quite mess of them the balloon
was tired dragging the accumulated
load and paused 10 rest, the wind oc-
casionally lunging and tugging it along
for foot or SO.
1t was neat landing. and l was just
flattering myself with the idea of my
saving all my ballast and most of
my gas. besides capturing load
of pumpkins. when over the fence
coming toward me saw an ugly
little bow-leggel bulldog. held in
check by strap which dragged along
an ugly little man. Before the dog
could get in word the man opened on
me with an overture of blasphemy,
with variations, accusing me of stealing
his pumpkins. proposed to compro-
mise by paying for the pumpkins on
the spot. and leave them on the spot,
too, if he would hold the balloon while
l let out the gas But no, We couldn't
agree.
The man literally estimated my plum
der at twenty-five cents per pumpkin.
l had ten pumpkins, big and little.
some not even worth ten cents,
thought, but did not want to incense
the man for a few cents, SO handed
out Il dollar to begin with. As the man
almost grasped it the wind got in just
ahead and snatched it. The man let GO
the dog and started for the money, and
the dog went for me. Instantly
wicked thought struck me, namely, 10
fit to fresh fields and pastures new.
Accordingly threw out three bags of
Massachusetts, sand, the Skylark mount
ed the breeze, and the last saw of the
man he was dancing a jig and deciaim-
ing IN large capitals, heavily punctuated
with gestures, while the bulldog was
silently travelling along after me.
Now 1t was plain sailing once more
just above the woods, but as I crossed
them and reached the next clearing the
Sky.ark manifested the same inclina-
ton to come down at a depression that
a balanced balloon always does when
following the low-lying drift of air ilow-
ing up over hills and woods and down
into the valleys of clearings just as
wafer would. Iassisted TIE Skylark to
lend in the shelter of the high trees,
and Was just going to finish the trip by
d 'sclarging the gas, when the bulldog,
WHO lad quietly sneakei through the
woods. suddenly jumped upon me, and,
inse ting his nose through the meshes
Of my hammock netting basket, caught
hold of my dress. l instantly broke
pumpkin over his lead. aud almost got
away, but, with the tenacity of the bull
do, he hung on. 1 picked up another
pumpkin and fed it to him raw TWAS
soft-shcll pumpkin. and 'Ho,dfast'
absorbed it mostly through his eyes and
ears. The balloon pulled hard,
and "Holdfast'' was now on
his last legs. AS three pumpkins
equal one dog (troy weighD, l
Screw out another, and up we went,
with Holdfast at the helm. 1 tried to
push him of with my foot on his
mouth. Next I tired whipping him Of
by dropping the Skyiark down to the
woods under us. and a most unmerciful
flogging the tree tops gave him as we
drifted across, but even this dose did
not relieve his case of lockiaw Just
then felt little bottle in my hand
kerchief pocket Ammonia it was, car
ried for removing possible stains Of
sulphur.c acid used about my by drogen-
gas mandatory. I had the utmost
confidence in its ability to remove
things. and l at once administered an
adult dose to Holdfast's nose. II fitted
his locked jaw like key. He gave a
sort of cringe, smothered snort as if
he were trying to say Eureka with his
mouth shut, and then, feeling some
thing solid under him, he let 20.
What he felt under him was the top of
tall tree, and left him there to
climb down. I've heard that fancied
Resemblance existed between dog aud |
an alligator, from the fact that neither |
could climb tree. Holdfast was not |
that kind of dog.
Relieved of the dog up went the bal
loon. and pretty soon got above the
third clearing l had noticed. 1t was a
pasture, and there were cows in dis
tant part of it. 1t seemed a good place
to land. and. dropping the Skylark at
the e.lse of the clearing, l flung my