Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-11
LOVE AMONG THE CLOUDS.
a WOMAN REPORTER nEscuIBEs A
BRIDAL rRIp IN A BALLOON.


NhNi MISS Auelih 0ietn OF tine Sau
Francisco examiner heard that
bridal couple we've to make balloon
ascension with the assistance OF Ivy
Baldwin. the aeronaut, she determined
TO accompany tie happy pair, note
book and pencil In hand, and to de-
scribe the experiences OF the ethereal
honeymoon for the edihcation of nm
expectant public,
AS Miss Green IN not n lightweight,
II became necessary to attach two
balloons to the car In order 10 crafty
her ambition 10 20 a-chroniclng IL
the skies. The ascension was made
ms advertised. With tho trlflins exeep.
ton that the original bride and groom
failed to appear, and another couple
obilglngly consented TO get married
and 10 aeronauting IN their places,
Here are scme - Miss Green's obser-
votions on the expedition;
The fog was so thick when We
started that we could no, ace the great
panorama below us that newspaper
people who make balloon nsoensions
generally write about That was not
what Ind bcne up to see. MY part
of the trip was to report the honey
moon OF the newly married pair. Every
one Knows how II bride and groom net
In the cars Or en- the steamer. But
how would they act In balloon2
"oh, how cold It ISL moancd the
poor little bridegroom, who waa mud
died up SO mat his face pecpcd out
from between his knees. His face
was MS red IN tomato, and his little,
round, black Eyes were aa eNpression-
less AS the eyes of q shrimp, ana his
scanty mustAcne, that dropped sadly
was covered with Ice where his breath
had frozen IN q. Then | noticed that
great icicles hung from the balloon.
and that the atmosphere was full OF
falling snow. Below ua were great
soft rolling, black white aud gray
clouds, Above us there was nothing
but uninterrupted grayneHs; there was
not even fragment OF cloud to re-
lievc the mouotony Of space.
For soma time We had noticed tho
disngreeable odor OF gas, Finally II
seemed to pour out OF the great mouth
OF the balloon that y0Wncd above us,
The bride BECAME nRuseotcd and lean
ed over the Side OF the basket, and the
groom moancd feebly that he was be-
coming asphyNlatcd. l felt ma II | was
smothering and knott and threw my
cape over my head and brought my
mouth and nose as near TO the bottom
OF the buskot ns l could, thinking that
! might in That way get pure air
Nov we are all right" snid Ivy
Baldwin, who had crawled out on the
rope that connected the two balloons.
] looked UP. The odor OF the sas was
gone.
~ guess will take a smoke" said
Ivy Baldwin
You would surely blow us up
said.
Yes, smoking in the car OF bal
loon would mean suicide sure" unused
Ivy, but l want u smoke"
Then he pulled the anchor rope up
so as TO be within 40 or 80 feet OF the
basket, and before we knew what he
was going to do he had climbed over
the side and slid down 90 the end OF
the rope. There, seated on the bend OF
the anchor. he lighted match and
smoked a big cigar down TO It's lust
ash.
That poor little bridegroom looked ms
though he would like to jump up and
down and yell He did yoll. and yeller
for dear life, too but he didn't move.
He was afraid TO even wiring his hands.
so he simply wiE,'lod his fingers while
he pleaded with Baldwin to come up.
III you keep on yelling like that IN
pitch you out" said Baldwin TO the
groom after he Ind climbed into the
basket The little fellow smiled
ghastly smile ana looked nj the bride
rs mueh az 10 say, she wouldn't let
you" but he aubsldud
II hope we shall have n good long
trip" the ueronaut continued after he
had silenced the little man, but I'm
afraid we shall not because that
brother Of mine forgot 20 give us any
ballast II we should start TO drop in
the ocenn we should have to lot her
go. There would be no way OF pre-
venting H."
Let me tell you something," Wits
pered Ivy Baldwin IN my ear. mot
only have we no ballast but the valve
Of the main balloon IN frozen"
It had been growing colder and cold
er. For some time there was queer
sensation In my ears like pressure
on the drums. The aeronaut continued
10 talk, but his voice became indis-
tlnct. Finally u sounded like buzz
cling and then like n faint whisper. I
knew he was talking for his Hips moved
Then he appeared TO be seized with the
same dreadful sensation. for he pulled
desperately at the valve string. The
bride and groom stlll crouohcd at the
bottom OF the basket. and as glanced
at them ] saw that they, too, were sur
fering Tho groom's nose began 10
bleed.
our valves were frozen. We were
completely at the mercy OF the balloon.
Undisturbed. she attained tho highest
altitude she could. Besides being per-
iectly uthfs my Jaw feit as VI II were
pressed In a wise, The eyes OF my com
panlons became fearful and blo0dshnt,
and 1 knew mine must be the Same.
for sharp pains shot between them. We
breathed IN short gagpa, and the air
felt like bits Of broken glass Perfectly
numb with cold. we glarcd at one an
other In horror, We were NJ a height
OF about 10000 feet. or nearly four miles
from the earth. Then strong current
struck us and bore uH north. We had
been going southeast.
We sank somewhat Tho clouds had
passed away, and we could zee the
world again. We continued TO 70 down
II seemed as n the curth were running
up to bump into us,
Throw out your coat" Ivy said to.
the bridegroom.
"It's so eoldr' he replied, with chat
terinR teeth. MS he obedlently took on
his coat. Soon the aeronaut's coat went
overheard too We had passed "A little
cluster Of houses, and here and there
for some distance were farmhouses that
looked to us like toy houses nestled
among green trees. Finally we landed
IN an oDen field near one OF the houses
and returned 10 San Francisco In the
evening. feeling none the worse for our
expedition into upper ether
nsops for the russian Millions.