Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-10-18
THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.
A Negro who Understood It Only After
He Had Been lin In IA BALLOON.

A Negro who Understood It Only After |
He Had Been Up In Balloon.
About two years ago l was billed for |
balloon ascension in Louisiana town. |
| was to go up and at a height of $500
feet | was to make the leap with my
parachute, so rs such an event attracted
no little attention in the town thought
would see if any person had nerve
enough to GO along and ride my balloon
down. 1t is aot necessary for a person
to do this with hot air bag (Which
mine was), for the moment you leave it
it topples over, and of course the hot air
rushes out Of the neck and down comes
the bag to the earth. II man rides it
down no unpleasant thing can happen,
if he is cool headed and sticks where he
belongs OF course the balloon is apt to
90 down into a river or lake or hang up
in tree, but the rider can always get to
earth safely. never have had an acct
dent, and have been in this line some
ten years.
Well, after considerable bluffing |
got a big negro to agree to go along and
ride the balloon down. | got him to do
it by telling him he was afraid; that he
had no pluck, and in order to be q big
Ike with his color, he swcIe fiat he'd go
along. He didn't realize l.. gravity Of
the situation at all.
The afternoon we were to go up was
pretty one, and thousands came to see
the ascension. My companion was there
all right enough, and when it was known
that he had agreed to go along, the peo-
pie jeered him, and said that he hadn't
nerve enough This made him furious,
and he swore that he'd go and show
them that he had more pluck than any
white man there
So when the time came saw that my
parachute hung all right, that my up
line had been taken off SO the negro
wouldn't grab it and yank the balloon
wide open and dash himself TO pieces,
and then we sat on the bar q use a ira
peze instead of basket because Of the
weight, and gave the signal to turn as
loose. Up we went with a jerk, and as
the earth dropped away my Negroes eyes
bulged out, and he spat out about a
quart of tobacco juice. Now that
mouthful Of juice spread out like a soup
plate, and it sailed down to the ground
like big brown bird.
Mr.. Negro watched it and said: PRO
fessor, does you reckon dat I'd fill up
wild wind like dat if I'd drap often dis
yer bar? Hit nd be q nifty bad day fer
dis pore Niger il he'd hit de ground like
er chunk or light wood" told him
that he'd be all right, and as we were
now up about 5000 feet climbed down
to my parachute and told him to get
ready. Then that fellow looked scared,
and as hung down by my knees to kill
the shock of the drop when cut loose
he yelled: "Doan' leave me up here
} alone, white mani Fo' de Tub er Gawd,
r don't go an leave dis pore Niger all to
hisselfr' But jorked my line and was
= 500 feet below him before you could bat
) your eye. The old parachute opened
4 with jerk, and then sailed down to the
Y earth like a huge bird. There had beer
I no breeze at all, and 1 came down with
: in half mile from where 1 started.
Q The crowd had rushed TO help me If
should need help, and we soon secured
and rolled up the parachute. Then WI
watched the balloon. Down it came
the negro scared nearly TO death. Thu
crowd yelled and cheered. and bracet
him up considerably. He struck thu
ground all in heap and started to run
but some one tripped him up and h
tumbled down. Before he could get nj
the negroes had him on their shoulders
and he was lion, can tell you. W.
passed the hat around and got thirt,
dollars for him.
Well, sir, that negro actually though
himself superior to every person in tn
parish after that-spoiled him, did tina
trip.
was back there about six month
later to give another ascension, and
thought I'd get that fellow to go up
), with me again. So hunted him up
y and told him what wanted. He locke,
Is like he'd drop and said:
t, "Mr. Balloon Man, does ye expect IL
10 an ijeot2 jest hainter gwinter TO d
e. dat fool trick no mo-"
If And with that he broke out for tn
"a woods, and we couldn't find him unit
es after l had made the jump. Then h
il came back into town grinning, and said
he "I'ze no fule, mister; you heah mer'-
8. Galveston News.