The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-29
lie DID TILE PARACHUTE ACT,

A small boy Starts From His PAS Stable
Clears the IIarnyarl and Road and
AIIghts on Nelghboring Pig Pen
Unharmpd.
CiHciaaaH TiHles.Sldr.
Word comes from the village OF Harri.
son that tho multllarious small boys Of
the town are filed with an unholy ambl-
ton to fly before they have left this
mundane sphere. 1t seems that some
weeks ago a circus company, as an out
side attraction, gave parachute jump
from a balloon. From that moment the
boys have known no rest. They have
been goaded to real deeds Of bravery by
an uncorked desire to emulate the "hero
OF the clouds. The means employed by
the boys, while not strictly original, Is a
tribute to their powers OF observation.
What Is o parachute anyway but Big
umbrellaP argued the boys, and II q big
umbrella will furnish immunity for a
TALL OF 100 feet IN umbrella only half as
large will furnish corresponding force
OF protection for q fall Of fifty feet. A
considerable number OF spraiLed ankles,
skinned limbs, disloCated arms aud
shoulders aud cracked jaws have been
offered by the boys as u tribute to the
good faith O. their argument, but to no
purpose except to shoulder oil the blame
on the umbrellas, which, without a sim
gle exception, have failed to perform any
part OF their duty.
10 the contrary, they have beaten the
boys TO the ground. or else have fallen
on them with comparative stunning
effect and added several consultations
OF stars 10 the unrivaled display Of the
solar system which is spread before the
naked eyes Of the jumper when he
alights without much care as TO which
end or part he strikes on. One boy
whose name Is withheld at the urgent
request OF his parents-Capped the eli.
max yesterday bya leap from the top oil
his respected and reverend fathers sta.
BILE. 10 add cclat 10 the affair he bad
Issued invitations to a number Of en-
yious comrades that he might demon
strate to them the cause OF the failure
attending the leaps OF the other boys.
They always attempted to hold the
expanded umbrella, this boy made q
step in advance when he arranged to tie
his fathers large green umbrella, with u
bone knob handle, to his person with
his "galluses." He was stripped to the
blulEto tighten his weight as much as
possible. He appeared from the hay lott
and, crawling along the comb oil the rool,
dragging the umbrella with him, raised
the spread, tied 1t on and before his little
sister could tell his mother, he stood
erect with umbrella bobbing about In
the wind, and waved bis hand TO the ad.
miring crowd Of boys below. =,
He raised himself on tip.toe, worked
his arms for a big jump to clear the hen
house and tho outlying manure piles,
but lust then, unfortunately, the value
OF the occasion as furnishing any demon.
stration for the development Of aerosta.
tics, was destroyed by a sudden gust OF
wind, which hit the umbrella amidships
as tho boy was poised with the least bit
OF resistance. Details OF the occurrence
cannot be furnished with any accuracy.
The spectators differ as 10 material aud
important facts. Some Of the boys say
he went up quite q distance before com.
ing down. Others say his course was
straight as an arrow, while more au.
thentic sources have II that he described
the course Of spiral.
However, all agreed that q white
struggling mass Of dirty underClothes,
without any very substantial rear SEQ.
ton, shot oil over the fence head first,
flew over the road with yell and
alighted with great force on the pig pen
OF a neighbor, who was supposed 10 be
out Of the question altogether. II Is a
miracle tho boy was not killed. The
umbrella really got in It's work this time,
and probably he was not as much hurt
as though he had gone straight TO the
ground. All the boys but one voted the
affair a big success.