Omaha daily bee., 1885-07-16
HER BALLOON EXPERIENCE.
A Woman who has Scared on High Over
$50 Times,
AyTrip in which she Took Up Bull
dog by the Teeth and was Gap
tured by a BulI-Many Thrill
Ing Adventures and Mishaps.
PHILADELPHIA Times.

Philadelphia Times.
Mrs. Carl Meyers, better known al
| "Carlotta, has made over 150 successful
balloon ascensions, and has had many
peculiar experiences. One Of the best
she tells as follows:
"I had sscended from Massachusetts,
with the Skylsrk fully inflated with
hydrogen gas, and with sand ballast to
balance 1t. The wind track made land
Ing places scarce aud lnfrequent along the
ground below, and l was just going to
throw out ballast and seek higher cur.
rent which might drift me out that part
of the country, when i spied three bare
spots of ground, all In row, directly be-
fore me, with patches of wood between,
and In the first l found landing. 1t
proved to be pumpkin field. The Sky.
lark swooped down, and with the aid of
the wind began dragging. my little net.
ting -bordered platform across the field.
l pressed down the edge of the ring or
rim supporting the netting and fished for
pumpkins as we slid along. By the time
/ had caught quite mess of them the
balloon was tired dragging the accumu-
lated load and paused to rest, the wind
occaslonally lunging and Juggling 1t along
for o foot or so.
1t was neat landing, and was Just
fatterIng 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
l saw an ugly little bow.leggsd 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
and vituperatlons, accusing me of steal
Ing his pumpkins. ! proposed to COM
promise by paying for the pumpkins on
the spot, and leave them on the spot, too,
If he would hold the balloon while let
out the gas. But no, he wouldn't agree.
The man literally estimated my plum
der at twenty-five cents per pumpkin. l
had ten pumpkins, big and little, aome
not even worth ten cents, thought, but
l didn't want to Incense the man for
few cents, so L handed out dollar to
begin with. As the man almost grssped
1t, the wind got In just ahead and snatch
ed it. The man let go the dog and started
for the money, and the dog went for me.
Instantly wicked thought struck me,
namely, to fit to fresh fields and pas
ures new. Accordingly / threw out three
bags of Massachusetts sand, tine Skylark
mounted the breeze, and the last saw
of the man he was dancing jig and de-
claiming In large capitals, heavily pune
tuated with gestures, while the bulldog
was silently travelling along after me.
Now 1t was plain sailing once more
just above the woods, but as l crossed
them and reached the next clearing the
Skylark manifested the same inclination
to come down at depression that bal
anced balloon always does when follow
ing the low-lying drift of air flowing up
over hills and woods and down into the
valleys of clearlngs, Just as water would.
assisted the Skylark to land In the |
shelter of the high trees, aud was just
going to finish the trip by diacharging
5he gas, when the bull dog, who had qui- |
stly snesked thr ough the woods, suddenly |
Jumped upon me, and, inserting his nose |
through the meshes of my hammock net
Ing basket, caught hold of my dress. 1
instantly broke pumpkin over bis head,
md almost got away, but with the tenac.
ty of the bull dog he hung on. Ipicked
lp another pumpkin and fed 1t to him
aw. 1t was soft.sh pumpkin, and
'Hold.fast," absorbed 1t mostly through
lis eyes and ears. The balloon pulled
lard, and "Hold.fast" was on his
ast legs. AS three pumpkins equal
ne dog (troy welghD 1 threw out
mother, and up we went, with Holdfast
t the helm. l tried to push him off
nth my foot on his mouth. Next l
rled whipping him off by dropping the
kYlark down on the woods under us.
nd most unmereiful fogglng the tree
ops gave him as we drlfted across but
ven this dose did not relieve his case of
ockjaw. Just then l felt little bottle
i my handkerchief pocket. Ammonia
was, carried for removing possible
tains of sulphuric acid used about my
mandatory. l had the
tmost confidence in Its ability to remove
hings, and | at once administered an
dult dose to Holdfsst's nose. 1t fitted .
is locked jaw like key. He gave sort
crlnge, smothered snort, as IL he .
ere trying to say eureka with his mouth
1ut, and then, feeling something solid !
nder him, he let go. What he felt un- 4.
er him was the top of tall tree, and
vt him there to climb down. | heard
lat fancled resemblance existed be
yeen dog and an alligator, from the
.ct that neither could climb a tree.
Ioldfast was not that kind of dog.
Relieved of the dog up went the bal.
on, and pretty soon had got above
le third clearing had noticed. 1t was
pasture, and there were COWS In dis
mt part of It, 1t seemed good place
land, and, dropping the Skylark at the
lge of the clearing, | flung my anchor
lroitly into the roots of stump. The
eight of the anchor and rope relieved
le balloon somewhat, and in q moment I,
le Skylsrk posed at the end of 200 feet q
light rope. The previous strong breeze p
I'd lessened, but under Its influence the u
'lloon was next pushed near the ground, y
I'd bobbed up and down 30 uneasily that y
began hauling in my cable to give less o,
ay and get move under the tall forest ~
ees. 1 wanted to make solid connsc-
ons with earth before letting out gas to I,
ch degree that the wind could hollow
hal