Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-22


heights and from which was to mako my
maiden leap with n parachute wac Juggling
at its moorings upon tho broad lawn. [
confess that it was with seine nervousness
took my scat in the little car beside Io-
seph Norcross, n skilled aeronaut, who had
from dizzy heights made many and many
flight oarthward through the air.
Norcross smilingly welcomed nc, and as
he gave tho order to cast loo-e the limo and
the men on tho ground released the great
aerial traveller felt myself afloat in lit
tic boat upon an ether sea. There was no
sudden jelt or jar about it, so cleverly was
the release effected. Putting my head over
the side CT the cae, looked below and was
surprised, for apparently we werc not as
cending, but the great world, with all her
glory of green and gold, was dropping
from us AWAY down into space.
Then | gazed upward at the great bird
like balloon soaring triumphantly on.
Again looked down, and the houses and
barns seemed to crouch closer to tho ground
and the villages to cluster together.
Streams and lakes at last looked like more
threads or blots of silver We were far
from the world. Suddenly we were in n
cold, drizzly rain, ald the earth was shut
from view. l inquiringly locked at Nor
cross.
ave have entered the clouds, - was his
smiling explanation, land we are not yet
mile high"
In five minutes we emerged into beautiful
sunshine. Beneath us lay heavy bank
of fog FURNISHED by the ardent afternoon
light, but tho earth for time was not
hin sight. Suddenly, through rift in
the clouds l caught glimpse of it far, far
below. So distant was 1t that only here
. ok;
discerncd Truly we were getting wei up
in the world. The thought at once attract
cd my serious attention to the balloon.
Suppose it should spring leak or collapse,
what would be the fate of the daring sky
travellers, or on the other hand if the
valve limo failed to operate would we go
on upward forever? Tho thought disturbed
me not little. Tho aeronaut surinised
what was passing in my mind, smiled gen
tally and said:
81 have nlado q thousand nsccnsions I'M
harmed From what height would you
like to leap?'
Make it about 1000 feet, replied
detcrmincdly.
IAN right" Norcross responded as he
scanned the aerometer and promptly pull
ed open tho valve, preparatory to descend
ing.
lily Hduu Oub ONcF tIe SLUG OI
the car the rush of cold air against my
downturned palm indicated that we wcro
again swiftly journeying earthward Soon
we were enveloped in the fog of the cloud
bank for a minute or two and then emcrg-
ed with tho distant earth in Wow The
glance at it from my perch there away up
near tho clouds only increased my nerv-
business
Look upl Look up" exclaimed the
aeronaut "or you'll lose your nerve"
A glance downward when descending
with the parachute might, know, turn
my hair white or bring on stroke of par
alysis, as it Il Il done in the case of some
other men.
Twenty-Five hundred feet from here to
/, the ground exclaimed the smiling Nor.
cross. "Gct ready"
He then bound round my body under
the arms stout rope the other end of
which was secured to the trapcze bar in
my hand, which bar in turn was attached to
the parachute that hung at the bottom of
the car.
leap as far out into tho air as posi-
bic, and the tightening of the trapcze line
will release the parachute which will open
its is foot spread in n second or two,
he said. "Then all you'v got to do is to
look mp and hang on"
.su,,,o1,.o b,,,Irod foot u, sho,,+od Mon
crcss tirhtanod nv, e,r,s,, ~, Tho tro.
NC hon 1ool,od Stooifest1y ,,n1,,ord ,,d
a,,,.,i.ol t,o o,Slor -, loar IL ,ra, tLo ,,,,,st
+r,,;,,o .in,o If NV lifa INT xx,,s dators
,,,;,a5 y, ,,,n1.,, tin ;n,,,,
..coi,s s,,d1on,r os1.loi,nod tho oorono,,t
f,osir,, nv, o,,os 7 ,nado n ore,t Ioa,, ont
49, 60, ri oa,,id f.,ol ,s,,,salf r.r,ilIv
sbootipg downyvard Tben tho trancze
line to,,3onod With n c,;,rbt ;ork that indi,
o.tod ,I, ,.,,a,sa oe the c,osod noracbnto
md 7 iao,-od ~, met =, time 10 Itch n
Taoi,e, nl;,,nse IF Noroross, s,n;l;nS, foco
,ooring ovor tho side of the chr far above
- b. ~ ,.arooh,,t,, 1;a ~ go, nLo
saeo,d, ,,assa,l int Minute and +hon
;,to ,hro,, ronr i've n,inntos Wonld tho
,,ara,hrt, ,ovor o,'an9 Met 7 bo dashod
~ dn,,, Il ~, The, Ground noo foot belo,yS
Snsdnnlv thoro c,,no a sborn clicl- from,
.ho,,n and INV erce e,' ,,ercentibiy slactened
Al tho ,,,r.cb,,to Nd npono1i Nv I;fa
VA, sa,.,ilI viii a., intonso feol;,s, ~ cot
;se,.t;o,, foIt ,,,,,sa,f ,oiihor,tnl,, doecard.
in9, and lool.;,,a ,,l,o,,t tbonal ,,,t direct.
y, Ianon,,, me toolr II, tho scenic hea,,ties
~ nv in,,rroy ON eyorv hand mt tbare
49,, ,n' 80 $3.50 NC c,r,,,o foaI. cnInosa IN