Telegram-herald., 1890-02-27
BOBBY FISCHER'S RIDE.
The True Story OF a Wondernu
Homemade Balloon.

his mouth went down as be said this,
like the mans in Little Dorris" IN
bet," he continued, "that | can make
one myself"
''Can youy' asked Bobby Fischer,
anxiously. He, with half a dozen other
urchins, was always at Lem Pnrdy's
heels. Lem was the enterprising boy
OF Canedy's Corners. He could jump
the farthest. run the fastest, shoot the
straightest and do the most mischief in
given time among all the boys in town.
He was accordingly the hero OF the
place, especially to the small fry. Bob
by Fischer had hitherto regarded the
making of a balloon as most intricate
and difficult piece OF business, but IL
Lem Purdy said he could make one and
that it was easy to make one, why, Bobby
and all the rest were prepared to be-
lieve him upon the presentation OF any
thing like suitable proofs.
"You see," went on Lem, airily, you
want to make an air-tight bag Isn't
that easy?"
'.Its got to be pretty big, isn't it?"
ventured Hoddy Atwood.
Big? Yes, you goose. But what's to
hinder it's being big. You can make 1t
any size you want to, can't you?'
Hoddy was squelched, and the pro-
ceedings went on.
"Then," said Lem, oracularly, ''you
want to fill the bag with very light air
gas, sorter. Now | 'spose you all
know that hot air is light air-very
light-you know how hot air goes up,
spose?"
The depths of scientific knowledge
evinced by this series Of statements par
alyzed LENS audience. With eyes as
big as cookies and mouths wide open
the boys waited further developments.
Charley Timmens, you go into the
barn and look behind the corn shelter
and see what you find there. Fetch 1t
out with you
Charley Timmens turned a shade
paler than usual with sense Of his own
importance and obediently ran into the
barn.
Now we will go out to that stump
there continued Lem, land I'll show
you what I've made there."
The boys trampled on one another's
heels in their haste to get at that won
derful stump. What could be there?
But Lem. grand, gloomy and pecul-
iar," strode along at their head and re-
fused to answer any of their questions.
The stump reached, Lem took boand
off from heap Of newly-turned earth
which lay close by and revealed dark
and grewsome hole. The timo had now
come for him to disclose its secret
Boys" he said, conf1dentially, "I've
got stove down there. 1t was full OF
holes, but by packing earth around it
and making this slit here for draught,
it's a furnace-a regular furnace. See
this iron tube? That leads to my
crucible, where can make gas-balloon
gas"
Good for you, Lemr That's fnei"
She's a daisy!'' and similar expressions,
all tinctured with the prevailing slang
and highly charged with admiration for
LENS genius, broke from the boys and
each in turn applied his eye to the hole
in the ground which was the only means
Of viewing LENS wonderful furnace.
Lem had piece of stove-pipe at hand,
which, after lighting the fire in the
furnace, he inserted into the hole. and
the smoke began TO pour upward through
It.
By this time Charley Timmens had
returned with curious-looking armful
of something, which proved 10 be half
dozen wool sacks. sewed closely togeth-
er, and containing pile of newspapers.
"You see" said Lem, briskly, papers
are as near sir-tiVht as any thing can be,
amt they?'
The boys assented. and as Lem pro
duced pot OF paste and brush and be-
gan 70 line his wool sacks with paper
they were ali snxions 10 assist. u was
ten o'clock when they began, but by
noon they had an air-tight bag, and 1t
was pretty nearly dry. too.
Nov. boys" said Lem. as they sep
arated for dinner. ''you want 70 keep
awful mum about this. but you come
back about two o'clock and you'll see a
balloon ascension, and don't you forget
IT,"
At two o'clock they were all back
again. IN fact, they were most Of them
there by one o'clock. Only three or four
favored cousins or brothers had been ad-
mitted besides the half dozen Who had
been there In the morning About ten
minutes after two Lem came strolling
leisurely toward the impatient little
crowd. No monarch had ever felt his
power more sublimely.
Harry upi' called the boys. but Lem
only smiled indulceutly upon them. and
came calmly onward
There's hBe bed of Goals in the
farnace. and we've got lot oi wood &C
put on said Hoddy Al wood
Go ahead ard pat 81 on. ccnusnded
the lor5ly Len.
here vas scuf7inz sboEt among
TIE little boT. ard the are uas once
more burning hercely.
Len pulled ID the drsvi-r-striuV ~
his balloon. and bed the bis. paper
lined BAG ever the tabe which pro-
szEded from the ''cr1cible~ A strange.
mysterious smell Glled the ar, and tse
balloon beFzn visibiy n swell
Goodness $50 4 sllr' She'll -.
SURE broke fron1 TIE excftsd ho-s
F-s- Fao h+-,satf 49, he-t--sAz -.