Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-09-25

aerial navigation-had even tried his
hand at inventing steering apparatus
for balloons, but had always failed o.
discovering the one thing needful tt
make it a complete success.
| There was a crowd collected around
the inclosure when the big oil silk bae
was being inflated with gas. Tom wa
inside the inclosure with Jenny her two
maiden aunts and Morley, who had
joined them, much to the young aero
naut's chagrin.
Glow should you like to go up in her,
Jenny 2" he asked.
60, I think it would be splendid, II
wasn't frightened, as am sure L should
be-" replied Jenny.
"I don't mean to make the trip; but
just little way"
"How could we do that?n
"Easy enough. Well get in the car,
and the man will pay out the rope until
we are hundred feet or so from the
ground, and when you have seen what
it is like they'll pull us down again.
Come, get in and try it; you've no idea
how nice it is"
Jennie hesitated, looking at her aunts.
mo, Jenny said Aunt Jane, for whom
she had been named, cpl not permit
you to try any such experiment. Sup
pose the rope were to break; where
would you be then"
Tom said there was no danger OF the
rope breaking, and Aunt Sarah, who
had made up her mind to be one of the
party. said she didn't believe there was.
"Will you 90, aunty?" asked Jenny,
whose heart was all in flutter between
excitement and fear at the idea.
c Yes" replied the maiden lady decid-
edly, GIVE always wished that l could
go up in a balloon, and now that I've got
a chance to do it without danger-there
is no danger, Mr.. Arlington"
"None whatever" said Tom.
"Then I'll 60"
"Why, Sarah" cried Miss Jane. ''Tm
astonished at your encouraging Jenny
in such wild, harum-scarum adven-
ture."
"There's nothing wild or harum-
scarum about it that / can see," said
Miss Sarah; everyone, | dare say, has
natural curiosity to know from ex-
perience what ballooning is like, and I'll
60"
Tom soon had his arrangements all
made, and helped the two ladies into the
car.
"Will you go2" he said, not Very cor
daily, to Morley.
mo, thank you," was the reply.
"Why, you are not afraid?"
''No, Pm not afraid, but will stay on
terra tirma."
CAN right" said Tom, stepping into
the car where the ladies were already
seated. "Let her out" to the men at
the rope. "That fellow hasn't the pluck
of a woman" he growled, as they slowly
arose.
ooh, how nice!' exclaimed Jenny,
when the balloon came to a stand, about
$50 feet from the ground. "lsn't 1T,
auntyp
care you sure there is no danger Of
the rope breaking, Mr.. ArringtonT
asked Miss Sarah, instead of replying to
| her niece.
at is brand new" replied Tom.
"Then it is very agreeable sensation, "
said the lady.
After giving his companions sufficient
time to fully enjoy the pleasures of theil
novel situation, Tom made sign t.
the man below, and they commenced to
haul in the rope. The balloon seemed
rather reluctant to leave her native ele
ment-if one may call it so-but was at
last secured near enough to the grouno
for the occupants to alight from the
Car.
After giving his assistance to Miss
Sarah, Tom turned to Jenny, who was
preparing to follow her aunt:
GLOW would you like to try it again?'
he said, in low tone.
go, so much" was the reply.
In an instant he was back in the car
the signal was given to the men to pay
out the rope, and when Aunt Saral
looked around her niece was fifty feet
above her in the air.
| don't know if Tom Arlington had
had any such intention from the begin
ming but while Jenny was looking owe
the edge of she car, waving her handker
chief to those below, he took his pen
knife out of his pocket and cut the rope
and the balloon shot up in the blue SIX,
, like wild bird set free from captivity.