St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-10-26

Lay the happiness At yours,
And the harvest moon of heartsease nevel
Boston Transcript.
THE AERONAUT'S STORY.
"Is Jack Tunniciiffe going with you
tomorrow, Tom?" said NV wife to me.
II wish you would take some one else -
''Why, Norah?" asked
Hes 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. don't know = sadder case.
He'd only been married . week. Such
. horrible death. too. It's enough to
turn mans brain, and must confess,
Tom, l wish Jack was not going with
you"
Nonsense, Norah! People always
exaggerate and make the worst OF
things, as you know. If = 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 a bit peculiar ut
times. How can he help brooding over
his terrible loss? He wants some ex-
citing occupation to take of his
thoughts from his trouble. He's fond
Of ballooning as 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 had
fixed for balloon ascent Ballooning
was my hobby. 1 had conceived =
liking fer it on my 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, had tried utility with
pleasure, and had made some ascents
solely for scientific purposes had
found . kindred spirit in young Tunni-
cliRe. 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 awhile. As several
weeks had elapsed since that sad event,
I felt anxious to resume these expedi-
tions, and IS Tunnicliffe had expressed
his willingness to accompany me, .
day had been fixed for our next trip.
It was when l was talking to my wife
about this self-same trip that she ex-
pressed her regret that Jack Tunni-
elite was going with me.
1 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 ITO
make some useful discovery" and was
therefore unwilling to damp my ardor,
or hinder the progress of my observa-
tions. She had felt the exhilaratinR
effect Of q balloon ascent. and my ref
erence to the benefit young Tunnicliffe
would probably derive from the pro-
jected trip appealed to her experience
as well as to her tender heart.
Accordingly, next day at the ap-
pointed time, everything being in readi-
ness, we started on our aerostatic
Journey. Tunnicliffe, contrary to his
usual demeanor, seemed a little ex-
cited. but this caused me no appre-
hension. His interest had apparently
been awakened, and it was only natural
that he should be animated on such
an occasion. The balloon was set At lib
crty as soon as we had taken our seata,
and the machine rose beautifully. There
was q gentle breeze. which bore us
slightly southwark. We rose slowly
ut first, and SO had plenty Of time to
gaze on the vast and extending panor-
anna below us.
Presently we entered = huge bank or
mountain of cloud of the kind called
cumulus, and were surrounded by q
chilling mist which induced us to put
on the wraps we had brought When
we emerged from the cloud a scene of
fairy-like beauty suddenly burst upon
us. We were in a kind of basin sur
rounded by mountains of clouds of the
most fantastic shapes, of enormous
size. and OF dazzling brightness Now
and then, as we rose. we caught sight
also of ~ondrous ravines of curious
shape and great depth. These noun
tains of clouds, with their silvery and
golden sides, their dark shadows, their
varied tints and SUBMITS of dazzling
whiteness, presented to our wondering
gaze a scene of surprising beauty and
grandeur.
This sublime spectacle evoked my
highest admiration, while the silence
and vastness of space inspired me with
awe. l drank in these exquisite and
varied delights with such avidity and
with such absorbing interest that I
had scarcely looked at, or spoken to,
my companion since we had started.
But An exclamation from him now d.
vorted my attention, and, glancing 1T
him, l was surprised to see that he had
risen and was much excited
"What is it. Jack?" asked.
..Isn't it glorious?" he replied II
wonder If Heaven is much more beauti-
ful? How delightful it would be if we
could reach it! l should see my Ada
again, then
my dear fellow!- interposed,
hastily, somewhat alarmed-not so
much BY his words as by his excited
manner and wild look: You think too
,nuch of these things You have been
brooding over your loss more than is
vdsbd for you. VIII yon-
..At any rate" cried he, vehemently.
..it,s worth trying. SO here goes and
,eixin9 one Of the sandbags he threw
e over. The lightened balloon 1t once
.he9aa 20 rise more quickly.
s:What are you 6oiDg. Jack?' ! shout
Il .For heavens sake keep calm
" are : good height already. We
A.a,t be able to breathe 4 we 60
-...ch higher. It's getting u:,comfort-
eAae, y e T.
.seaenst ~? We shal! aes about
80 n ec1ne - cry. ARyhaw. pe.
s1Iss. / 80 - 4 ! eas'N NoetAe I