The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-02
PRESENCE OF MIND.
HOW AN AERoNAUT SAVED HIMSELF
IN THE OPEN AIR.

Wind was his name.
Hiram Wind, but he told The SUI
reporter that they called him Hi fol
short
For long time" said he, with 4
half knavish smile. 81 didn't like the
abbreviation. but when l was 20 and
took TO ballooning as business it kind
of sorter seemed as if Providence meant
that l should have had that name and
no other. Professor Hi Wind" he add
ed with pride, sis name that is bound
TO soar through the Hottest realms of
space.
did you never have an accident?"
inquired the reporter.
Several, but they have never been
the fault of the Wind
The professor began to show signs of
succumbing TO the pump
"Of course" he admitted hesitat-
ingly, "a man can't walk the earth ev-
cry day without humping up against
something out of the ordinary occasion
ally, and the air is no exception. I've
had experiences that you might call
narrow escapes-that is you might, and
then again you mightn't. 1t would de-
pend on how you looked at things. Some
call 'em narrow and some don't. /
don't myself"
1t was plain that the professor under
stood that good thing was a good
thing when he saw it.
Suppose you narrate one for my
sake" suggested the reporter, "and let
me add my testimony to that of your
other admirers
''Thanks. / don't care if do" said
the professor, and there was that in the
tone which recalled the reporter to
mans highest duty to his fellow man.
After which, sitting at small table,
the professor continued: 81 was out in
Indiana about four years ago. Indiana
is great state in the season, and had |
made an ascent for the benefit of Sun
day school picnic to kind of offset going
up on the Sunday before for lager beer
sociable function. Mighty particular
pious these Sunday school people are,
and everything was lovely. My balloon
was gas balloon, and she fairly kicked
up her heels while l had her tethered
and when she got away she seemed like
she was heading right for infnity and
was going the limit or bust q ham
string.
Il guess she must have gone up
mile and half or two miles when |
[elt something give way, and in min
ate or two she began to go back the
other way-not fast, you understand,
out slow and sure, and in way to I
make You feel mighty uncomfortable.
couldn't tell what the matter was, and
after letting her drop to within about
lalf mile of bottom tossed cut a lit
lie OF my ballast. l was short on para
'hutes that day, too, as mine was out
II whack. And being careless, thought
I'd take my chances. About this time |
began TO wish hadn't, but didn't say
word for obvious reasons. When let
he ballast out. tho balloon responded
'nly little, and the way she did it ,
convinced mo that something serious
vas the matter. BY this time / had to
brow out some more ballast, and it
wasn't minute till there wasn't any
hing left III the basket besides myself {
nd about 1000 feet of rope with a
,rapple on the end of it. -
'The balloon had begun to sink
gain, and rapidly. And you may guess
hat this was a time for a man to do i
ONE pretty active thinking if he ex-
ected any good results from it, and
on may be assured / was calculating.
very instant now the balloon was
altering velocity, the last movement ,
owpward having begun at o point {
bout a quarter Of mile from the ..
round, and l knew that in few Sec
nds was going to be a shapeless mass I
nat couldn't even be photographed for I
newspaper unless something hap. I
ened. There was only one thing to do. '
nd that was to relieve the balloon of
. weight and send it back up again.
he rope and were heavy enough to
essen the weight considerably if we
nould get out, and proposed to do I
reat act. Getting good hold on my
ASP knife, waited for the now whizz-
ig earthward balloon to get within
bout 1000 feet Of the ground. Then,
18th the rope tied around my waist and
10 other end fast to the balloon. I
imped out feet foremost straight for
10 earth. ! knew that il the balloon
stationary would just about '
zach the ground at the end of the rope.
ut figured on a good deal of reac- :
on. In fact, calculated the rise of the
alloon would about meet the fall of
lyself at such point as to make nv
vi comparatively light, and then, when q
10 began to sink again. would be SO s
ear the earth that before she got to
Ding at breakneck speed would be q
ose enough to cut loose and let myself
own easy. AS it turned out, l might
ave had leg broken or been shaken g
pretty badly, but luck was with me. !
hen cut loose. / dropped about 25
et and lit square ON top of big straw. I,
ack where some men were thrashinp. q
8 for the balloon, she was 30 nearly !.
zhausted and was coming down so fast o
hat the loss of my weight only cave !.
or strength enough to go a couple of y
undred yards across the field and drop b
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