Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-12-22
A .1ALe oF lie FuTuRE.
Something That is Very Likely to Hap
pen Later On.

pen Later On.
There was trouble in the Texas Cen
tral Rain Producing company.
The last order for two hours'rain had
not been satisfactorily filed.
The rain had only lasted twenty min
utes, and as this company made II spe-
cialty of guaranteeing the length of
storms, or money refunded, this job had
been losing one for them, both in packet
and reputation.
Wallace Carlton was held,to blamefor
the failure, as he had used his new ex-
plosive in the balloon that was sent up
without consulting the company who
employed him.
Wallace had insisted that there was
no fault in his explosive, but that the
failure was wholly due to thefuse being
too long, thereby allowing the balloon to
get too far away before exploding. His
explosive in balloon Travelled more
rapidly than the other kind used.
But Mr.. Wilson, president of theNcom-
pany, was not to be appeased, an0 Wal
lace was officially notified that thecom-
pany no longer desired his services.
This is only an excuse Wallace
muttered; ''the real reason for my dis
charge is that he knows ] love his
daughter. But / will prove the value Of
my explosive to his cost, and will win
Ethel yet"
A week from that day was the time
set for grand fete on Mr.. Wilson's
grounds, in honor of certain influential
| political friends.
Wallace determined that the fete
should be deluged with such. a rain as
the most successful explosions had never
yet brought upon Texas.
But fate had another victory in store
for him.
That same morning Ethel Wilson had
started homeward on the airship Peg
asus. It proved a most disastrous vOy-
age, for few minutes after the start
there was blown against them a balloon,
sent up for a small local shower, which
exploded as it struck the Pegasus.
Fortunately it was of the smallest'size
QSnown as the lawn sprinkler balloon),
and the Pegasus, though badly shaken
up, was not blown to atoms, as would
have been the case had the balloon been
of the regular rainstorm size.
One of her gas compartments remained
unhurt, and the Pegasus still foated
slowly along, though entirely unman-
ageable.
Floating thus it came into the view OF
Wallace Carlton, who was watching the
slow ascent of rain balloon just sent
up by the man who had been promoted
to his place.
| Wallace saw with horror that the air
ship must be blown to powder when the
balloon exploded.
Suddenly he remembered that Ethel
was coming home on the Pegasus this
very trip.
There was no thought in his mind Of
his own risk; his only thought was that
he must save Ethel
His private flying machine was an
chored near. He looked at his watch.
In just two minutes the balloon would
explode he knew exactly the workings
of these slow, old fashioned things.
Could he possibly reach it and extin-
guish the fuse in time?
Springing into his machine he weighed
anchor and darted upward, steering
straight for the slowly ascending bal
loon.
1t seemed ages to him as he flew up
ward, straight and true as bullet
On came the Pegasus. Would he be
in time, and would he do itp
There was no time for slackening
speed as he neared the balloon. He must
sail by close enough to reach the fuse, yet
not to collide with the balloon, or he
would explode it with the conclusion.
II was beautiful piece of airman.
ship.
Now he could see the fuse 1t was
burning not four inches from the bal
loon.
He leaned far out as he swept by and
firmly grasped the fuse in one hand.
His hand will carry through life the
scar where that slow match burned leeI
into II before it was extinguished.
But Ethel was safel
He could see her leaning over the side
of the Pegasus, white with terror,
Wallace sailed up to the disabled air.
ship, and threw her rope; then he
slowly descended with the Pegasus in
tow and landed ON the firm earth In
safety.
Continued and concluded after the
manner Of the Nineteenth century nov
els; for the onward march OF soience
makes no change in human hearts. y
1 Boston Globe.