Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-07-06


worth seeing. These
two farm boys prided themselves In do.
ing very original things, and not infrc.
quently they produced very astonishing
results. especially to tho young city board
ers In the region. Tho last Independence
show they gave the visitors decided was
the best Of oil. 1t was q fine Fourth of
July night, and everybody was In tho best
OF spirits.
After It had become quito dark tho old.
or brother, Joe, announced that the arst
display upon the program for the evening
would be balloon ascension and show.
er Of dewdrops. Ernest brought out an
armful Of tissue paper Of various colors,
which proved to DO homemade balloon.
They inflated II BY means Of ball Of
candle wicking saturated with coal oil.
The burning ball was held In . light wire
frame and the fame kept from spreading
by means Of cardboard tube that had been
thoroughly saturated with Z strong s0lu.
ton of alum to make Il noncombustible.
Tho great paper sack soon filed with hot
air by means Of tho. tube, and began to
get uneasy and anxious for an upward
fight. "Let or Co." cried Joe; and %
he did 90 It was noticed that he placed
a string which hung loose In contact VII"
the fame. Away went the balloon and
tho company watched Il. It had reachs
an altitude Of perhaps 200 feet wh...
there came the so.called shower Of dew.
drops. The air beneath tho ascending OBJ.
ject became suddenly illed with flashing,
sputtering, glowing lights.
This display continued for several min.
utes, q portion of the sclntillating dew.
drops rising with the balloon and others
floating slowly toward the earth. "Splen.
did! Good! Beautiful were the OF.
pressions of the spectators.
The next scene on the program was the
firing Of cannon by means Of teapot OF
water. The cannon itself had been made
by the Folly boys. A two.inch auger hole
was bored into curly maple block; the
wood had been cut into the shape OF an
iron gun, then some iron bands from the
hubs Of an old wagon heated red hot were
driven on and suddenly cooled. The ex.
panded hot Iron shrunk down 20 % to
bind the wood firmly. and after they had
applied coat or two of black paint they
had a fine homemade cannon, but, Of
course, they had to be careful about over.
loading the piece. The improvised gun
had been charged with powder and wad.
ding. and lay upon the ground all ready
4OS oVSssSSs W. S~Vo ~ WV sSetSVsp s0soSV
It over and hit It with . stick to show
that Il was empty, then placed Il beneath
the pump spout and 6lled II to the brim
with water. After taking . swallow from
the spout he placed It near the cannon. His
wanda piece Of broomstick passed
several times over the tin vessel while
a jargOn Of senseless words was spoken.
Ernest meantime lighted . match and
applied It to the water. Instantly fame
shot up. and placing fuse from the tea.
pot to the piece Of artillery. the boys
stepped back. A fash was followed BY .
loud report, and the assemblage shouted
with wonder.
The third display was what the rural
lads termed the "aery serpent" Zoo
produced long, ragged cloth object that
looked something like huge black snake
with q wooden head aud two irregular
wings. After, holding Il up % that al
'ceuld sss II he passed out upon H. lswn