St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-10-15

the rope and pull us down. They
did not need second asking; the
rope was tied to a tree, the balloon
descended slowly till the basket
reached the ground. Willing hands
brought stones to weight it and then
the professor and myself stepped out
on terra irma and the pleasant voy
age was over. Our landing was made
on J. Wallace's farm in Sanbornton.
41a miles west of Laconia; the dis
tance Travelled some 25 miles: the
time a little over two hours, includ-
ing the stop at Bridgewater.
We secured accommodations for
the night at the house of L. Smith.
During the evening the nearer neigh
bors ran in to have chat with the
professor, who kindly answered all
questions and entertained his hearers
long into the evening with bits of his
experiences, till one by one around
the table the heads of the children
dropped on to their hands in sleep,
reminding US that we too were tired
and only too glad to be shown to
our room.
The sequel of the trip can be writ
ten in a few words The professor
had given out that the start would
be made about 1Oa. m. the following
morning. Two of the schools near
bv were dismissed for the forenoon,
for the purpose of letting the little
folks attend a real balloon ascension.
No doubt the teachers were just as
anxious to, in common with the par
ents They began to gather about
9 O'Clock till we had a company OF
nearly 100. For an hour the pro-
lessor entertained the children royal
ly by taking them up by twos and
threes the length of the rope. While
this was going on it was plainly evil
dent the tired feeling that marked
the latter portion of the previous
days trip still chung to the old air
ship. Early in the morning we both
noticed the slightly wasted form, but
the professor thought warm break
fast of sunshine would round out its
curving sides. and put it in a lighter
mood than the night previous. To
lessen the weight he sent the anchor
and rope attached to Laconia to be
forwarded by train to Plymouth.
The hour for starting had been de-
layed to allow a photograph to be
taken of the balloon and party, and
it was 1890 when we hopefully
stepped into the basket, taking the
smallest amount of ballast possible.
This we were obliged to put out be-
fore it would even start us. Then it
rose slowly about 100 feet, when the
increasing weight of the drag rope
proved too much to raise and back it
came to the ground, and like balky
horse, refused to bulge an inch.
The result was a mutual dlsap-
pointment to both of US, but it was
of no use to lament; so replacing a
portion of my weight with sand the
professor started back toward Ply
mouth alone. Hiring a party TIC
take me to Laconia, and taking the
express train north, passed the
professor near Ashland and watched
the on-coming balloon from the
piazza of the Pemigewasset house
The current took it a little east O
the village; a beautiful sight, sailing
quietly and majestically along til
nearly opposite the hotel, when il
sank slowly down, and landed neal
the foot of Prospect hill, some three
miles distant. Taking a light ex
press wagon Mr. Allen, senior, ane
. myself drove in the direction las
seen of it, and in about half an hou
our search was rewarded. A few
rods from the road in gently slopins
, field lay the expiring balloon, sur
rounded by a number of interested
, | WHO udQ dlQSu luS pro
fessor in landing. Alighting from
5 the wagon we, together with Mrs
l Allen and daughters, who followed
| us in another conveyance from tn
hotel, assisted the professor in get
? ting ready to return. AS the hug
e body gradually lessened with its es
' Gaping breath, 1 forgave it the sulk
Y shown that morning, and it wa
: with feeling of genuine regret w
3. helped to stretch its limp form upol
! the green sward, lay its seams care
r fully together, gently roll it up in it
# winding sheet and lift it into tn