The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1894-01-18
Three hundred and sixty yardsr'


Scarcely had he spoken when the
balloon stopped for second as IL it
had struck against some very soft and
elastic invisible buffer. Then, with a
bound, it shot off again into space
with an impetuosity wholly new and
after shock attended with vibrations
SO violent that we all three fell on
the bags of sand.
Both the female passenger and be-
gan to ask questions
What does this mean?-What is it?
What has happened?"
The captain, who was the first to
regain his feet, aned over the void.
1.-The cable is broken" said he.
1--WE are loose!"
Secretly frightened. but unwilling
to let it be seen, said:
'"rhis is a aptive balloon; will it be
strong enough to permit US to land in
eafety?"
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
getting back to Sydney until to-mor-
row morning."
"In that case, captain" replied.
~ am doubly delighted at the acci-
dent; the ascension has grown excit-
ing, and we could not desire a more
courteous pilot than yourself. Is it
not so, madam?''
Miss, if you please" rectifed
the very slight and slender lady.
miss Arabella Upton, at your SER
vice" And she added: but l shall
miss my last car for Wooloomooloo!"
From new vibrations the captain
con- jectured that we were carving
suspended below us nearly the whole
of the broken cable. Its weight visi--
bly, imFeded 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 his PEN
knife, and, hosting himself over the
interior abyss of the osier basket.
strove to saw away the thick ro?e.
''How high are we?" he asked with
out interrupting his difficult and per-
iIous task.
Twelve hundred and twenty-five
yards, responded Miss Arabella, get
ting ahead of me.
Painting greatly. the aeronaut
added. addressing himself to me:
LAS soon as the cable is detached,
with bound we will ascend to two"
The sentence remained unfinished.
At slight cry / turned around
ceasing to observe the barometer.
Over the gaping void could no longer
see either the man or the cable. In
the captains supreme effort, one draw
ing the other, both had fallen! Above
us, toward the profound night. still
stretched the unfathomable space.
Mute, but terrified OWNED it
without seeing her, for her fingers had
plunged their nails into my garments
and 6esh-Miss Arabclla had seized
my arm. Suddenly she let go her
hold 10 stoop, and l saw that she was
throwing our stand overheard.
l was about to grasp her uncere-
moniously by the waist-logicallv
convinced that unballasted we would
mount higher yet-wh"n of themselves
her arms fell; l realized: that she
was inert prey also to very
of anguish at the barometer The
atmospheric pressure had sensibly
administrative had passed 1000
yards! In the air the oxygen had
rarified- / experienced a sensation l
had already felt on high SUBMITS.
Miss" called /. striving to raise up
the young girl, but it was in vain, for
l had no strength. My legs trembled,
my head sank upon my shoulders: no
longer felt the existence of my body.
/ had, however, the will to take the
little lantern in my hand, but on
stretching up to reach it felt my elf
enveloped by terrible cold. Ice coated
the Condor of the, Andes. The
mercury of the thermometer had fallen
to 81 degrees below zero.
tn en- clearly comprehended that
the end had come, and, without
further striving to recover, closed my
eyes and gave myself up
At the horizon, low and distant, a
brilliant and blue light was appearing.
When l returned to the knowledge
of things a magnificent moon was IL
Illuminating the night My eyes, turn
ing mechanically to the rim of the
car, distinguished small silk balloon
fastened to strap. 1t bore a label:
Oxygen at seventy-fve per cent"
And II was salvationl My scientific
attainments enabled me to understand
this-salvation almost at my handi A
few inhalations of that over-oxygen-
ated air would restore me with life,
with strength.
/ seized the little balloon as quickly
as was capable of doing, and, care
fully unscrewing it's stopper, applied
it to my mouth to breath I after
ward thought of Miss Arabella and
introduced the slender neck between
her lips, which / saw were horribly
black and swollen.
Cool now and completely restored,
was considering the quickest way in
which to end our adventure. The
more SO, as saved from asphyxia and
strengthened, Miss Upton kept shout
ing in my ears in a deafening tone: II
want to descend. Monsieur Frenchnan!
repeat to you that want to descend"
Parbleu! also wanted to descend,
but / could not in reason burst our
balloon under pretext of showing
myself gallant toward her.