The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1894-03-01

turned to the point o: departure.
We were still ascending.
Three hundred and ten yardsr' said
the captain, sententiously, pointing
out to me the registering barometer
fastened. close to a small lantern to one
of the ropes.
The breeze had grown stronger: two
or three times the enormous balloon of
vanished taffeta, which was bearing
us away, swayed wildly and gave fu-
rious shock to the car.
| The cable can resist a traction of
one hundred thousand TONS" said the
captain.
ut is truly magnifcenty' TRANQUILITY
uttered the exceedingly calm voice of
the lady passenger.
was forced to admit to myself that
my blood did not circulate SO coldlv.
The excitement made it even rush
back to my heart But l stiffened N.Y.
self energeticalIy and leaned over the
interior void to thoroughly assure N.Y.
self that we had reassumed the straight
line.
Three hundred and sixty yards!"
announced the aeronaut
| Scarcely had he spoken when the bal
loon stopped for second as if it had
struck against some very soft and elias
tic invisible buffer. Then with a
bound, it shot off again into space with
an impetuosity wholly new, and after
a shock attended with vibrations so
violent that we all three fell on the
bags of sand.
Both the female passenger and l be-
gan to ask questions.
What does this mean? What is it.?
What has happened?"
The captain, who was the first to re-
gain his feet, leaned over the void.
The cable is broken" said he 1--WE
are loose!''
Secretly frightened, but unwilling to
let it be seen, said:
This a captive balloon; will 1t be
strong enough to permit US 20 land in
safety?"
There are only three of us and the
balloon is inflated for thirty That's
the medium number of passengers.
| You will have only the annoyance of
| passing two or three hours more than
you calculated in my company, and
| doubtless the Inconvenience of not get
ting back to Sydney until tomorrow
morning"
I'm that case, captain" replied, 81
am doubly delighted at the accident;
the ascension has grown exciting, and
we could not desire more courteous
pilot than yourself Is it not SO,
| MADAME"
Miss, if you please" rectfed the
very slight and slender lady. ''Miss Ara
bella Upton, at your service" And
she added: But 1 shall miss my last
car for Wooloomooloop'
From new vibrations the captain con-
jectured that we were carrying sus-
pended below us nearly the whole of
the broken cable. Its weight vislbly
| impeded the ascent of the Condor of
the Andes, and there was reason to fear
that on the descent it would occasion
very grave damages.
The aeronaut was, fortunately,
prompt in decision. Like true cap
tain, he armed himself with penknife,
and, hoisting himself over the interior
away the thick rope.
How high are we?" he asked, with
out interrupting his difficult and per-
ilous task.
"Twelve hundred and twenty-five
yards" responded Miss Arabella, get
ting ahead of me again.
Painting greatly, the aeronaut added,
addressing himself to me:
''As soon as the cable is detached
with bound we will ascend to two"
The sentence remained unfinished.
At slight cry turned around, ceas-
ing to observe the barometer. Over
the gaping void | could no longer see
either the man or the cable. In the
captains supreme effort, one drawing
the other, both had fallenl Above US,
toward the profound night, still
stretched the unfathomable space
1 had not much time for pity; the
balloon, suddenly freed, scaled the in
accessible with a prodigious bound.
And without any idea of aerial naviga-
ton, lost in space and darkness, l
found myself alone with an ignorant
young girl, as unconscious as she of
the Danger, unable to attempt the
slightest maneuver.
Mute, but terriied-I OWNED it
without seeing her. for her fingers had
plunged their nails into my garments
and flesh-Miss Arabella had seized nv
arm. Suddenly she let go her hold to
stoop, and l saw that she was throwing
our sand overheard
was about to grasp her uncere-
moniously by the waist-logically con-
vinced that unbalIasted we would
mount higher yet-when of them
selves her arms fell; l realized that she
was inert. A prey also to very painful
uneasiness, cast a glance of anguish
at the barometer. The atmospheric
pressure had sensibly administrative
had passed four thousand yards! In
the air the oxygen had rarefed. I ex-
perienced sensation had already felt
on high SUBMITS
Miss" called I, striving to raise up
the young girl, but it was in vain, for
had no strength. My legs trembled,
my head sank upon my shoulders; no