Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-11
TO THE CLOUDS.
"Cabriolet" Takes a Thrilling Balloon Voy-
age With a Professional Lady
AerOnaut.
The Animated ballast A Dhngernu. Cigar
ette The Panorama Below The
Journalists Awful Attempt
The Denouemeut.


side its great sides filling and sinking like
an Trial monster painting with titanic gaSpa
for liberty The fair grounds were throngcd
with people. and lake Of faces were fixed
toward the enormous siIken bag. Very
brown, very grand. very noble il looked.
quite the embodiment Of fearful power,
held in temporary check by ropes made a
prisoner by sheer prcponderamcc
of opposing forces. 1t looked like nothing
40 much As a great deuizen Of the air above.
with life and fury. fretting under
the bonds that held it to the base earth and
longing to seek lis home in the
WIDE IMMFN~IrIES OF SPACE.
Suddenly there was ripple in the crowd,
hitherto dense and dead from the intensity
Of its attention. The next instant a slight,
girlish figure stepped forward, threw a care
less kiss to the assembled throng and bound
ed lightly in the direction of the BALLOON
car There was about her that easy, grace
full seif-posSession that betokens the pro
fessional. A bOnny little scarlet cap,
braided with gold, clung tightly to her head,
and from beneath its edges her
brown ringlets peeped out cOquet-
ishly. \ gold-braided gown of
scarlet, cut rather in the fashion Of the me
diPval riding habit, fitted her slight lssome
figure 10 perfection. A cluster diamond
sparkled on her left index finger and all ar
row at her throat cOrruscated with the SAME
gems. She patted the sides Of the great
balloon nearest To her Cares~ingly, and q
sudden commotion Of the hydrogen within
caused it to sway toward her as il, in a CO
losSal way, it desired TO return the caress
At signal from Professor Gilbert sh,
seated herself cOmposedly in the car anc
prepared to make her journey to the lane
of steady, clUudleSs. everlasting day" The
pale, riGntC face did not take on a shade o.
extra color. The blue eyes did not glow
with an augmented luSter The young
aerialist showed no more agitation at tn
prospect OF leaving the earth than wCul,
an ordinary girl on taking her seat in a rLil
way train.
Now ensued an instant or
PAINFULLY INTENSE EXCITEMENT,
during which the crowd strained its thou
sand eyes in the direction of the silkel
monster and its frai little passenger
Then there was a grating Of repeS,
"whirr" of movement, stupendous Chee
from the crowd, and the America" sho
upward into space. spurning tine earth
despised and cleaying with winged spec,
| the sunlit air.
| For brief minute or two the direction
of the balloon was directly vertical. Then
at the height of about 100 feet. it enConr
tered a gentle current toward the north
west, and sailed slowly and with intint
majesty in that direction.
| Prior to the ascension a number of mem
bers OF the Springfield press had lOudl
Wanted their intention of accepting Prot
| Gilbert's invitation to go up in captiv
balloon. Not one of them carried out thei
plans. Whether from a lack Of vertebrat
| frmneSs. commonly called back bone, q
whether they We're all too busy taking bro
mides. with the fond hope OF ultimately be
ing able TO wear their atruphied hats again
/ II is impossible 10 state. Not member Q
the press gang was visible on the ground
| during the afternoon. Scorning the cal
tive balloon scheme, the GLOBE REPUBII
had applied to Prof Gilbert, week in az
vance, to permit member of its staff to b
| a passenger in the main ascension, but h
bad refused on the ground that the adde
weight would be
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
The America" sailed on, a small opaqu
sphere as viewed from the earth. Tn
young lady aeronaut sat gracefully at til
eige of the car. with one dimpled arI
thrown ont over the wicker edge. Using
pair of powerful field-glasses, she examine
the shrunken Springfield below her with il
terest. Suddenly a fierce ray of the >u
shot out from behind cloud and fell upo
her cheek. 1t is hot here, she eXclaime,
Il must go higher where it is cooler. If
throw out one bag Of ballast il will
enough. Dear me. how heavy it is
she rose and tugged at it with all ht
strength. why. never knew a bag {
sand to weigh a. much in my life rs --
Oh-h-h." and a feminine shrek, the FIR
that ever burst from womam'S lips in such
place. rang out and went echOing up to III
clouds.
| Her agitation was not remarkable. Il
ured To the dangers of the most ptTiluuo ,
all professions, nevertheless the sight thu
met her eyes for the moment unuerved he
| \ startling transformation was occurring
| The whilum bag of ballast Stoutly resi>te
being hurled overheard and had suddenl
become endowed with pulring life. 1t ros
| % its feet and Steadied itself against a sway
ing rope There was a sharp ripping >ounc
a flash of a cleaning knife, and the sac
parted in twain from end Ia end. Thi
canvass chry sails was caught by tn
breeze and went Hopping ava
| into space like a wOundr
bird In it, place stood tall blonde youn
man, hat in one hand, a card in the othe
and notebook between his teeth. Til
aeronaut, still white and speechleSS III,
| chanically took the card and read on it.
SPRINGFIELD pGLoRE-RErUHLIC.
AT your service, madamoiseIle. SAID tn
newcomer, as he replaced his hat Il reT
resent the only daily paper worthy of tn
name in the city that lies below US. wa
assigned by the managing editor to write Il
this balloon voyage. Mr.. Gilbert Objecte
on the ground Of the increased weight an
the augmented danger SO | came in tn
role of ballast When you attempted t
throw me out of the car, it Sudden
dawned on me that it was high time (yer