Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-25
-THE esEAT TRAveLER TALKs.
A nd the Stories He Tells Are Heard Wit

<A Ahu SAao Ss0E1GS AAO AOAAS my AAG@So " kSAt
 Awe.
 ''Once in Greenland" the great traveller began at the dinner table the other day, 'I had terrible encounter with Q boa constructor.
 "Cold in Greenland. ain't it?'' asked the skeptical boarder.
 'sSo cold" said the great traveller, who worshiped the truth with so great 8 reverence that he seldom dared ap- proach it, ''so cold that your breath freezes into solid ice the minute it leaves your body, and men are frequently found imbedded in icebergs composed entirely of their own breath"
 Didn't know that boa constructors f1ourished in cold countries,'' '' said the skeptical boarder.
 "They don't, " replied the great trav- eler.
 But you said you had an encounter with one in Greenland.
 Mot the island of Greenland" said the great traveller, who, whenever he made statement, at the same time made large hole for himself to crawl out of 'sNot the island of Greenland, but beautiful valley in Brazil of that name, so called because the vegetation there possesses such beautiful, rich, green color. Everlasting summer broods over''-
 But you said it was so cold there that men were frozen into their own breaths, '' said the skeptical boarder.
 ''So it was, so it was, where was," said the great traveller. II was 2, 900 feet above the earth in balloon. There was revolution in Brazil at the time, ment looking around in balloon for the enemy's forces.
 "Um! I see," says the skeptical boarder. But is it usual for boa con- strictors in Brazil to be floating around in the atmosphere 1000 feet above the surface of the earth?"
 Quite common occurrence, as. sure you," said the great traveller.
 Happens frequently, hey?''
 ''Yes. You see, some of the mountains there are 90, 900 feet high, and frequent ly when they have an earthquake these mountains are tipped half way over. The boa constructor speak of was on the summit of mountain which was tipped up on end, and of course he fell off. On his way down he struck my bal loon.''
 ''Of course, said the skeptical board CT.
 "Ycs, and ho immediately seized me in his folds and threw mo violently to the ground.
 "Let's see. You were :, 900 feet above the earth, believe?" asked the skep- tical boar6er.
 "Yes, 1000 feet and some few inches, " replied the great traveller.
 Bruised you slightly, didn't it, falling 1000 feet and somo inches?' asked the skeptical boarder.
 II wasn't scratched" said the great traveller. "You see, the boa constructor in striking the balloon turned it over up side down and broke the gas bag, and 1 was taken up in the current of the es- caping gas and so fell up instead of down.
 "How unfortunatel'' said the skeptical boarder. But didn't understand you to say you were thrown violently to the ground?"
 "Oh, yes," said the great traveller.
 "Well, about how long did it take you to reach the ground by falling up?" asked the skeptical boarder.
 ''H I remember rightly, it was less than the eighteenth part of Q second," replied the great traveller. "You see, this mountain, 90, feet high, that was canted over by the earthquake, leaned over SO far that its top was just above my balloon, and so fell up few feet and hit it.
 "What did you do then?" asked the skeptical boarder.
 Hung there, said the great traveller.
 Hung from the top of tipped up mountain 1000 feet above the earth, hey?''
 "Yes"
 ''How did you get down?"
 "Well, you see, staid there couple of hours, and another earthquake came and tipped the mountain back in its proper place again, and walked down. "
 "Here, said the skeptical boarder as he passed the great traveller plate of biscuits, There, take the cake. ''-New York World