The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-12-24
THE FINAL DROP.


able combination Of accidents-if such they
may be cailed-that in an age of faith the
result would have ranked as a miracle.
When they had fallen about $50 yards that
part of the globe which was not torn
caught on the rigging in such a way as to
form parachute and their descent was
comparatively easy for a few seconds, and
when the final drop came the netting
caught on "A tall house, and so the last few
rods of their fall was slightly broken.
The occupants of the car, NJ. Coffin and
NJ. Perron, the aerOnaut, observed at the
start that the globe was acting strangely
"One would have thought" says NJ. Cot
tin, that 1t foresaw some adventure" 1t
was Montgoltier-that is, inflated with
hot air. Nj. Coffin was looking down upon
Paris, when the balloon stopped and began
turning. Then the car quivered and feel
ing of deadly agony and fear seized him.
The balloon has burstp'
So NJ. Perron spoke, with as much cool
ness and dignity as if he had said, 1T is a
fine day" NJ. Cottins heart gave one
great bound and in an instant all fear de-
parted. Even in that awful position he
was astonished at himself and reasoned
thus:
TO what can | attribute this insensi-
bility? To an emotion that is too violent9
To the general shock that has affected my
whole being in uniform mannerP That
is doubtless it. | have always been inn
pressed by this first physical observation.
1t is for this reason that everything, even
the smallest event, remains intellectually
fixed in my brain. lneffaceable in truth
was the impression | received when, rails
ing my eyes, ! saw the cloth of which the
balloon was made twisting and rising to-
ward the valve, with the sound, Sc well
known to seamen, of sails in tempest.
II tried to drive the vision from my
mind, but the thought that my old father,
my children, my brother and faithful
friends were there below, following all the
events of this aerial drama, that other
loved ones were thinking of us at this mo-
ment, and that the approaching end was
in the minds of all-this thought, say,
came to render the dark picture still black
er. | will not dwell OH these reflections:
| cannot describe them. | confess, how
ever, that do not know on which side the
final conquest would have been had not
suddenly received powerful assistance
from Perron, who said to me: 'All is go
ing well; the balloon is acting as a para
chute. We must keep our bodies rigid
myself rigid and the ropes that | have
grasped will not easily escape from my
hands,"
The balloon then began to sway, and for
a few seconds seemed to hover in the air,
as if making ready for the final plunge
M. Perron threw out the bags of ballast
with nervous haste, and cleared the rig
ring so he could throw the graphing iron
at the right instant. Both men declare
that feeling of perfect quiet. almost joy
GUS, pervaded them. NJ. Coffin adds that
most delightful recollections of his youth
filled his mind. For perhaps half minute
they swung thus then darted downward,
felt a shock and sank into oblivion.
Pm all right How pleasant it is to
be alive p
Such were the first words M. Coffin
heard on reviving. They were from NJ
Perron. Neither man had bone broken.
M. Perron is as willing to go up as ever,
but NJ. Coffin thinks terra firma good
enough for him.