The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-09-11
THE AERONAUT'S STORY,

Is Jack Tunuicliffs going with you
tomorrow. Tom?" said my wife to
me. "I wish you would take some
one else.
"Why, Norah?" asked.
"He's been stranger than ever in
his manner since his wife died, | hear.
In fact, I've been told by more than
one person that he's quite insane at
times. It's not to be wondered at If
he is, poor fellow. Idon't know sad
der case. He'd only been married n
week. Such n horrible death, too
It's enough to turn mans brain, and
| must confess, Tom, wish Jack was
not going with you"
"Nonsense," Norahl People al
ways eXaggerate and make the worst
of things, as you know. II a mans
at all original or eccentric, it's at once
assumed that he's non compos. OF
course, Jacks low-spirited and absent
minded, and perhaps bit peculiar at
times. How can he help brooding
over his terrible loss? He wants some
exciting occupation to take off his
thoughts from his trouble. He's as
fond of ballooniug as 1 am, and trip
will do him all the good IN the world.
The above conversation between my
wife and myself took place on the
evening before the day which 1 had
fixed for balloon ascent. Billoon-
ing was my hobby. had conceived
liking for it on my very first ascent.
This liking had become "craze,"
for the novel experience and strange
sensation of sailing over houses and
trees, and of soaring into the clouds
had peculiar fascination for me.
Recently, l had trid to combine
utility with pleasure, and had made
some ascents solely for scientific pur-
poses. had found kindred spirit
in young Tunnicliffe, and we had had
many delightful and successful trips
together. Owing to the untimely
death of my friends wife, our aerial
expeditions had been suspended for a
while. As several weeks had elapsed
since that sad event, felt anxious to
resume this expeditions, aud as Tun-
nicliffe had expressed his willingness
to accompany me, a day had been
fixed for our next trip. 1t was when
l was talking to my wife about this
self-same trip that she expressed her
regret that Jack Tunnicliffs was going
with me.
had not much difficulty, however,
in overcoming her objections and al.
laying her fears. She was not averse
to my hobby, and had even accom-
panied me in one or two of my jour-
neys in the air. Moreover, she SYM
pathized with me in my desire "to
make some useful discovery" and was
therefore unwilling to damp my ardor,
or hinder the progress of my observa-
tions She had felt the exhilarating
effect of balloon ascent, and my ref
erence to the benefit young Tunni-
cliffe would probably derive from the
projt cted trip appealed to her ex-
perience as we'll as to her tender
heart.
Accordingly, next day at tho APP
pointed time, everything being in
readiness, we started on our aerostatic
journey. Tunniclifie, contrary to his
usual demeauor, seemed little ex-
cited, but this caused me no appre-
tensions. His interest had apparent
ly been awakened, and it was only
natural that he should be animated
on such an occasion. The balloon
was set at liberty as soon as we had
taken our seats. and the machine rose
beautifully. There was a gentle
breeze, which bore us slightly south
ward. We rose slowly at first, and SO
had plenty of time to gaze on the vast
and extending panorama below US.
Presently we entered huge bank
or mountain of cloud of the kind
called cumulus, and we're surrounded
by chilling mist which induced me
to put on the wraps we had brought.
When We emerged from the cloud q
scene of fairy-like beauty suddenly
burst upon lis. We were in kind OF
basin surrounded by mountsins OF
cloud OF the most fantastic shapes. ol