Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-10-05
y ROF. KINGSLEY. the aeronaut,

y NUT. NINtCISEl, Tie UeTOuuut,
r had been my chum at college.
L Fifteen years had passed since
then. He had made rapid strides In
his chosen field Of science; had en-.
tered the army and become an officer
Of the Royal Engineers. Circumstances
had now brought me into his neighbor.
hood and decided to visit him.
I found him In a state Of enthusiasm
over a new invention Of his own to
enable human beings to breathe the
rarefed air Of high attitudes. I was
made acquainted with the details and
learned that arrangements were about
completed for balloon ascent, by
which practical test Of the invention
was to be made. He was confident that
1t would eclipse oil previous air voy.
ages Ia practical results. Despite my
ignorance Of the practical details Of the
Invention. ] was invited to become the
professors companion on this voyage
through space, and for the novelty Of
the thIng--1 had never been In q bal.
loon-accepted the Invitation and con.
scnted to act as amateur assistant.
One morning few weeks later
found myself at the side Of Prof. Kings
ley standing In the midst Of an admir-.
Ing crowd, who were eagerly waiting
for the ascension Of the great airship
which, fastened TO the ground by net.
work OF ropes, plunged and strained
like some living animal. Five minutes
later we had embarked In the CIR, md
In another minute there was q sudden
shout. Without for moment under.
standing the reason. I found that the
people and the place had somehow slip.
ped away from us and disappeared. 1t
was the most singular sensation I had
seer felt, and as looked over the edge
ct the car was astGuished to observe
that In one minute. or less ~ It appear.
Cd to me, the trees and surging crowd
OF upturaed faces had grown 30 amax.
ingly small aud distant. The motion
was almost imperceptlble; indeed. It
took some time to grow accustomed to
the idea that we were moving at all.
Yet there could be no doubt about the
fact that We were moving. and moving
at surprising rate Of progress. too.
Up, upland as We rose We were
travelling TO the eastward. Towns, VII.
lagos. countryside broad silver stripe
Of tho widening Thames, dotted here
and there with qulvering specks which
wo knew to DO sails, and fiecked with
little coillng wrenths Of darkness which
must have represented steamers; and
then the great silver shield Of the chan.
mel. gllttering In the blaze Ut the sun.
passed under our eyes In one vast
moving di0rama, the details Of which
grew faii ter and fainter yet as we rs.
ccnded.
Then Kingsley began to talk. He was
always o brilliant talker. but now he
seemed to to talk more brilliantly than
ever. ] felt sense Of exhilaratiOn my.
self that was new to ine-a sort Of wild
sense Of freed0m-a lightness of body
and mind that had the effect Of strong
wine on the nerves. But In spite Of
this was surprised ut Its effect ON my
companion. He talked like man In.
Spired. In a strain of exaggerated clio.
0uence-a rhapsody OF science made
poetry which struck me as the finest
thing Of the kind had ever heard.
Yet found myself glancing at him
from time to time little uneasily. 1t
seemed to me, excited as was, little
extravaGant, aud for the moment !
wasn't quite sure how far the excited
nervous condition might he consistent
with the safe travelling Of our balloon.
! was wrong. however. for I soon OBJ
served that the professor kept wary
eye upon the movements Of the bal.
loon. and was noting each change In
the condition Of his delicate instru-
ments that were fixed to the sides Of
the car beside him.
On. ON. and upward still, and now
when I vcntured to look below could
see the great panorama Of land aud
sea like tho traclngs on q globe and