Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-11-14
looking guns with which they were
armed added to their terrifying APP


armed added to their terrifying APP
pearance.
Gen. Carambo CURLY ordered him to
get his bag of tricks in working order
and let him see what there was in it,
warning him at the same time il there
was any skullduggery about it Kul-
parker would be instantly shot, and the
general would do himself the happiness
of apologizing to the United States for
the action later on. With trembling
hands Kulparker got his gas machine
In operation and inflated the balloon,
while the rebels looked on with scarce
| ly-disguised contempt. At last the bal
loon arose with the fan whirling and
moved against light zephyr toward
the Spanish camp. It's unfortunate in
ventor watched it with intense interest,
for he felt that his life depended upon
it's actions.
How soon will it begin to shoot ?"
asked Gen. Carambo.
1T ought to begin in about ten min
utes,' said Kulparker, looking at his
watch.
Very well. If it doesn't commence
then, we WILL" replied the general, ON
inously. "We are not here to be trifed
with"
TO inspire confidence in the invent
or's mind the rebel general ordered
file of his ruffians to cover Kulparker
with their guns and to fire when he gave
the order. Much as the unlucky
scientist wished for an adequate test
for his balloon, he did not yearn for it
under these conditions, and it is prob
ably the only case on record where
man on the solid earth was in more
danger than if he had been up in the
flying machine. Kulparker watched
his invention with much anxiety, and it
soon became evident that it was at
tracing attention from the Spaniards
underneath. Puffs of smoke were seen
in the valley below. They were firing
at it.
All at once Kulparker saw something
drop from the balloon. 1t could not be
cartridge, for the balloon was not
due to begin firing; besides, he could
not have seen a cartridge drop at that
distance. 1t came tiutterihg down very
slowly and once as it overturned in the
air he realized that it was the fan which
propelled the automatic. A rifle bullet
had doubtless deranged the machinery
and the fan had whirred itself Off. The
balloon hung motionless in midair for
moment, then slowly the light wind
began to drive it back over the rebel
camp. Kulparker's hair began to
hriS Ia NTH ha - I, a,;+,
He was between two fires, for if the bal
loon began to drop dynamite he would
run an excellent chance of being blown
to pieces, while the moment Carambo
noticed that it was returning, the
suspicious wretch would see a plot in
the whole scheme, and would order his
prisoner shot.
Gen. Carambo had taken Kulparker's
watch on the plea that he had none and
wished to time the firing. The inventor
did not expect to have his watch re-
turned, and subsequent events justi-
fled this suspicion, but he now looked
anNiously at the general, who was busy
studying the face of the watch, wonder
ing what would happen when he turned
his gaze upwards and saw the balloon
returning.
The automatic opened the ball by
going into business on it's own account
A shell dropped from it struck about
half mile down the hill. The explos-
ion was terrific and startled the whole
camp. Carambo slipped the watch in
his pocket with an oath and it was only
few minutes before he took in the
situation. The second shell dropped
perceptibly nearer and rent the rock
some distance below them.
1T is plot" yelled the general. HE
is minion of the Spaniards, as
thought from the first. Shoot the low
scoundrel. Attention.! Fire!!"
The balloon answered his command,
but not the soldiers. They, frozen with
terror, were watching the approach of
the aerial monster, which was steadily
dropping bombs and raising consecu-
tive earthquakes, with the accurate
mathematical precision Of minute gun.
'Shoot, do you hear!" shouted Ca
rambo. The men TREMENDOUSLY raised
their carbines, but the balloon got its
work in first. The dynamite struck
within few hundred yards of where
they stood, and the concussion knocked
down more of the squad and sent panic
and flying rock amongst the rest. Ca
rambo was stunned by stone. Kul-
parker had flung himself face down on
the ground and spent an eternity OF
wild suspense wondering whether he
would be struck first by the bullets of
the brigands or the dynamite hitting
him in the small of the back, for the
balloon seemed directly overhead. AS
he turned over after the crash he rolled
down the hill for some distance, and
there he fatters himself he lost his
senses with the tumble, although I
don't think he had any too much sense
when he undertook to invent such an
idiotic contriyance as the automatic
balloon. The balloon foated gently
over the ocean, and it is to be hoped in
the interest of the mercantile COM
merce of the world that the dynamite
bombs are all spent. There are dan
gers enough at sea as it is, without an
irresponsible gas bag dropping shells