The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-06-03
THE PLUNGE FOR LIFE
Boston Globe.

chute from a tight rope strelche,
across canyon. l had been engage,
by hotelseeper TO perform in orde
TO draw a crowd. | felt little ner
vous when | saw an audience.
When the parachute was in readi
ness deaihlike hush fell over every
one present. hush that could bu
effect the most insensible. While
examined the machine to see thai
everything was in perfect order,
sang a comic song to keep my.elffron
thinking. Then / crossed one les
over the perch and plunged into the
air.
Shall ever forget the sensation
I'm used to sensation of this kind, too
If had been a novice, the way in
which shot through the air wonld
have frightened me so mulch that
should have |, st my hold on the ma
chine at once; but, as it was, / chung
all the tighter.
The parachute did not seem to of.
fer a particle of resistance to gravita.
ton. / went down, down. down, like
a stone. My head seemed to fly of
my shoulders. The air whizzed and
futtered terribly, the horn sent forth
the shrieks of a maniac. | believe
was never more confused in my life.
1t seemed as though / would never
stop. fl continued on at this rate
should certainly go down in the earth
at least ten feet.
/ felt that my time had come.
Then, when had given up all hope
of q change, the parachute COM
menced to dive and dart, and / knew
that it had commenced to feel the
power Of resistance. With every dive
the speed slackened, and finally /
came to a stop that almost jerked me
from my perch.
The machine righted and / COM
menced to float on the current | had
noted the day before. l felt myself
slowly descending, and had time to
take breath and look below me.
/ was surely and slowly drifting
over to a clump of trees that would
prove anything but a safe place on
which to alight, l kicked my legs
loose in the hope of directing the para
chute northward to slope OF green
grass.
But the current had it at It's mercy.
If | should come down gently among
the branches of a tree | might escape
with few scratches, but if 1 struck
it heavily l wss sure of death.
Suddenly l became aware of a col
Iision, and q number of sbrieks that
came from a woman. The air seemed
to be full of pins and needles, which
penetrated even my eyes. / caught
4 glimpse of dainty foot, and have
an indistinct memory Ofhearing some
body calling John and Maria. Than
[ felt warm arm about my neck and
he firm grasp of a mans hand. Then
[ think fell asleep.
When my mind became alive to
What was going on about me ! looked
round but could see nothing.
"Are you awake ?" asked a fine
wet voice that was very welcome to
ny thirsty ears.
Eyes Why is it so dark here 70
"You can't see me ?"
''Not a bit of you and my eye
eel as large as couple of oranges.
Where's my parachute ? How did /
.ome here ?"
"You fell" she said with a pretty
title laugh.
''Did /? | thought / rode here
IN the points of 10, 900 needles
"WOrse than needles. You fell
nto a hornets nest.
"Oh, / did," / felt my hands,
which were as large as any two hands
'ught to be. "HOw long must | lie
n bed ?"
Until you are abe to get up, l
VITA another little laugh.
"Oh, you think it funny, | sup
rose ?,
Indeed, | do not Don't you know
'ou nearly lost your life p
The owner of the sweet voice told
ne that her people had gone out to
OOk at my parachute descent, and
hat after | had failed into the tree
nd the hornets nest she and her
ather carried me TO their house in an
nsensible condition. Hundreds of
eople had come down to the valley
0 learn my fate, the hotel man among
be number. He said he would pay
ii my bills, and sent down the best
bysician in the city. My feat was
Onsidered something wonderful and
ny escape marvellous.
Iu five days my eyes were open,
ndI saw the owner of the soft hand
ne hand that had nursed me through