Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28

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heap sight healthier to grin than to
groan, and I'll keep grinning just as
long as can stand the racket"
The opportunity of studying a first-class
case Of sand blight, as the doctors called
Jim's attack. was too good to miss. and the
sufferer was promptly admitted when Paul
took him to the hospital for examination
Immediately on their arrival in Sydney.
AS II would be many weeks, they said, be-
fore he could be cured Paul was obliged to
part company with his friend For the
first time since his Illness Jim displayed
signs of weakness when the lad came to
the edge of the cot to say goodbye.
I'D made up my mind to see you safe
home to Chicago. young fellow" groaned
the invalid, and now the doctor says I'll
be lucky IL / get away from here in three
months. Hopeful outlook, isn't it?" Then
with a return of his Old spirit he added:
Never mind, son; I'll be back there almost
rs SON as you are; see IL don't. I'm not
a. al sure but I'll be at the head Of the
brass hand to welcome you into town, 50
set move on yourself, boy"
The cheap hotel where Paul engaged q
hc1 w2s p1t-onize1 pretty freely by the
hrmbler followers of the Australian Jockey
Club. the majority Of whom were touters,
riders and bJokmakers' clerks. With one
Of the latter-a decent enough young fell
iow-Paul became acquainted, and through
him was introduced 10 a bookmaker. who
hired the La 10 keep his accounts. The
work was fairly easy and the pay good, but
in the thirty days he remained out at the
course the Youn-ster saw just enough Of
The inside workings of a racing association
TO arouse anything but a high opinion Of
the turf. With the close of the season al
itaulWick he respectfully declined propo-
sit!oa from his employer to make the cir
cult with him, md drawing his wages.
which were materially increased by a hand
SOME present from the successful book
keeper. Paul abruptly elded this phase of
his career
\ snort time previous he had found a
hotel on Castlereagh street, kept by
American. where he rented modest room.
The house was quite popular with theatrical
people, and among others with whom Paul
came in contact was a dapper little French
man named Henri LEstrange, an aeronaut
IF scmc skill and undoubted courage.
/. EstrGnge was under contract to make
ualioon ascension from the public domain
On TIE queens birthday, which is always
: popular holiday with the loyal colonials.
His acquaintance with the professor opened
up new field of adventure for Paul In
colorado he had been many hundred feet
Iniersro ind, on shipboard he had climbed
IS high as the topnlast crosStrees permitted,
but sail i'm the air was an altogether novel
experience which he eagerly craved.
Assi1uous cultivation of the little French
man soon won from the aeronaut promise
c take Paul along as his assistant on the
lay of the fete, and until that time arrived
Il" two were inSeparabie Behind canvas
walls, on the commons contiguous to the bo-
.en!cal gardens, the Empress Of Night"
US moorei. For several days prior to the
ascension LEstrange and his new assistant
spent many hours splicing ropes. tighten
tn4, valves, sewing sand bags, painting the
ar, and otherwise preparing the balloon
or its aerial voyage. Arrangements were
-l1de 10 initiate the bag from the rearest
AS main. and on the morning of May -
"A was in readiness to make the attach
aeot The balloon was advertised 10
-scend at 3 pm, and fully an hour before
;aGt time the public domain and streets
'jacent were black with holiday-nlakins
..owd.
But the Frenchman was not happy: the
-as Was had. and the balloon showed nc
disposition TO soar. All, ciel"' exclaimed
81. little man in despair. ices gaas ees
AIR pgor. Eet ees NOT sufhssica buoy-ant;
- uuaiitc eos eXccrablcr'
Fer several hours the professor and his
ssiStant attempted TO initiate the balloon to
a satisfactory pitch. At ) o'clock the big
bag s.gayei in the air like drunken man,
its lropsic4l folds, which refused TO I'll out.
rcmjnIiT Paul of huge pair of misft
Turkish trousers. Driven almost crazy 10y
he demands of the mob. which. unlike an
American crowd. WAS disposed TO wax
aratAy al the delay, the Frenchman Jumped
n a box. and, III his broken English.
planned that he was quite ready and willing
- IN his part OF the contract. but was un-
eNpeCtcdly confronted with 50 inferior a
quality of gas that ii threatened 10 defeat
he exhibition entirely.
3. An hour later the incessant chatting Of the
y ectators 50 worried the ae-onaut that
against his better judgment. ne determined
70 cut loose and make the ascension. Mo-
tcning Paul into the car. he sprang lightly
Yer me Size and ordered the park attend
ants to slip the main cable
The Empress Of Night rose slowly 10 the
height of about fifty feet, and then deliher-
'tely sulIing i'm the air. refused 10 soar an
81 oh more. All! tees as expected" MUIR
i1u-ed the professor. and pulling the escape
valve, the balloon descend 81 amid the ieers
4 the colonlals, whose quips at his expense
eerly drove the Frenchman frantic. Ex-
lteI ana angry he ordered Paul to Jump
ut ana in few moments had detached the
ear from the rope network above Then
with a graceful bow TO his inpatient auti
q &c, the daring aeronaut sprang into the
netting of the balloon, ordered the men 20
let go and in minute had shot high above
he heads of the now GREATNESS calonials
Another minute the crowi remained silent
hen arose a burst of cheering which was as
spontaneous as II was heartfelt for every
me recognized the intrepiditv of TIE act In
response 10 this recognition, from his peril
us pefch above, LEstrange was seen "a
"aNe ms cap three times before he passed
HeNond the direct vision of the excited
Watchers. who speculated freely on III
chances Tor descending in safety.
drifting south the balloon lost its buo,-
.,ns anu len rapidly. ON Pitt street the
'dg swayed unpleasantly close to a stack
.! chimneys, rose and dropped again in
'rratc rlunSes, then took a sudden dash
over George street. pumping viciously
against hotel building where bv chanca
a woman stood at an open window hoIdjnc
"a hshted candle. In d second the escaniDr
gas had iguited, an explosion followed snJ
poor fEstrange was thrown on the glass
Ioof of the court below, where he was
picked ~ p few minutes later with a
kl"kel' leg and arm, several fractured
rlos, ana some severe burns as a memento
81 his brave but foolhardy experiment
As Tor Paul, this brief experience was
quite enough to dampen his srior for
aeronautics, but the little Frerchman onlI,
shrugged his shoulders when some one
asked him il he would ever make another
ascension. as he answered: Tomorrow
'odSy. eef vas able to pun re r-rope"'
few days later Paul was surprised IN
receive letter bearing the Adelaide post
marx. which proved TO be from his moth
RS brother, who for thirty years had been
4 resident Of South Australia In IL the
merchant cordially invited the nephew he
had never seen to visit his Australian rela-
dives and ended by delicateiy limiting tina,
II Paul was short Of funds he might draw
on him for fresh supplies.
Fortunately, the lad was not OBLIGED to
act on his uncles suggestion. He stiu had
a fair sum left from his earnings, and this
he intended should cover all the expenses
OF his visit. Thanking his uncle FOR tho
KIND invitation, he wrote that he would fol-
low the letter in a day or two at the farth-
est As soo1 EEstrange was pro
nource out of danger Paul secured a berth
on The steamer Ly-ee-moon for Melbourne
which port he reached just in time to trans