Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-09
May Ballou, the Cloud Kisser, Gets a
Jag and Is Prevented From Court
ing the Starry Heavens.
HER COSTUME HER DOWNFALL.
A Regular Army Officer Expires When on
the Threshold of Pittsburg
Hospital.
HE SOUTH FORK DAM REACHED BY RAIL
Sights, Scenes and Happenings Taken From Life in
the Sister Cities

1t rained at Silver Lake Grove yesterday.
That was the way it was reported at the Sig
nal Office, but Government reports are cold
and not always truthful. The real truth
was that the clouds wept for sorrow. They
had been promised a caress, and were disap-
pointed. Their true love, May Ballou, the
CLOUD kisser," had been torn from them by
fate and policeman. Doubtless the clouds
would have saved their tears had they
known that the fair kisser was on the shady
side of 40, and was only fair when she wore
a blonde wig and powder.
Beside the clouds there was large crowd
at Silver Lake to see Miss Ballou go up
| 5000 feet in the air and then take para
chute leap for life. She had run her imagi-
nation up to the highest point before she
started to make her ascension. When she
left the First Avenue Hotel she was ar
rayed-or rather partly dressed-in her
regular costume. A long travelling cloak
hid her form until she got on the street.
A PECULIAR STREET EXHIBITION.
Then the exuberance of her jag caused
her to let 60 the wings. She swayed from
side to side, and the full beauty and brevity
of her costume was brought out in full view.
A crowd of 800 people quickly collected.
When Officer Cross caught sight of the
woman she was coming down Smithfield
street full tilt. Her cloak was flying be-
hind, revealing a form clad in loose, white
waist, over which was short gaudy vest,
trimmed with gold lace Then appeared
circle of white, and below it another short
space of black velvet and gold lace, beneath
h oh o1r of tod
on well-filled black stockings The other
extremity of the "cloud kisser" was clad in
a big white yachting cap.
She was at once taken to Central station,
and introduced TO the matron of the female
department. Although somewhat befuddled
she was still anxious to toy with the clouds,
but Inspector McAleese thought she was
not in condition to even jump off a chair.
At 4 o'clock the Inspector called
on her in her cell She pleaded so
earnestly to be allowed to keep her
appointment that the Inspector told her to
walk down the corridor. He thought she
swayed too much. To prove she was sober
she danced a jig and then asked the 1nspec-
tor to waltz with her, but he declared that
was an art he had never learned.
OLDER THAN SHE SOMETIMES SAYS.
Then Miss Ballou became confidential,
anu Sdlu slt WIS ~ years Olu, DuG IndI sle
always told newspaper men that she was 2S
She also said she had made 216 ascensions
Inspector McAleese, however, decided the
217th would have to be postponed.
The Inspector approached the telephone
for the purpose of informing Miss Ballou's
manager of her whereabouts:
"What are you doing?" she asked.
'Oh, just going to call up Mr.. Fulton"
he replied.
Don't do that! For PHYS sake don't!'
she pleaded.
'fBut 1 must
"What are you going to tell him?"
"Merely lhat you will be out there after
awhile"
''Oh, all right, then," returned the sor-
rowfully jagged prisoner, but she was not
able TO keep her engagement, and thus
another crowd was disappointed
Miss Ballou, much against her protests,
was kept locked up all night.