The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-02
Sight of a Balloon Ascen.
sion Upsets an Old
Soldier.
OLD MEMORIES REVIVED.
The Whirligig of Time, How
ever, Nearly Does Him
Up for Good.

A couple OF months ago a man was
standing on one of the vacant lots Just
outside the Chutes watching the prepare
tons for balloon ascension. Like they
say of raccoon, having once sgot his at
tention fixed on the thing, he could think
of nothing else-indeed had eyes for
nothing else. .By-and-by the initiation
was finished, and away went the eronaut
like flash of lightning The mans eyes
steadily followed the sphere as it rapidly
rose. There was little or no wind and the
ascension was almo perpendicular. Not
once did the man lower bis eyes until the
parachute commenced to drop, and then
he suddenly became pale, and began to
rub his forehead vigorously. He stag
gered step or two and then fell to the
ground Some friends who were with him
picked him up and qcarried him TO car,
but he was moaning all the time, my
head is all of a whlrl." And that was
about.all the satisfaction that could be got
out of him. He was thin and hollow
checked, and the observer in ordinary
would have said that he had an acute case
of dyspepsia. A reporter got on the same
car with them, and the woman of the
party would insist on their taking the
sufferer home. while the men seemed to
think'that the Receiving Hospital was the
right place. But the woman prevailed.
That is usual.
They went down to Howard street, and
into a very nice-looking house. Some re-
storatiyes were applied, and in the course
Of an hour'or so he was able to talk about
himself. He said: 81 am a discharged
soldier, having left the army in the East
and come home here, where I live. l
have been having these spells of very
funny trouble with my brain for a long
time now. All the time it seems to be- go
ing round like atop. l used to'be quite
balloonist myself once, and l am always
interested in the sport-for that is what it
always was to me. But" he added sadly,
my days for going up are all over,
guess" He continued: 'Many and
many time have / gone up with Bald
win, and he always praised my GOODNESS,
but now-why, j can't even hold my hand
steady" Evidently there was something
more serious than dyspepsia the matter
with him. The woman had gone to pre-
pare something for. him to eat SO his
friend broke in with, John, if you'd only
got, married when you were young man,
and not played the fool so much, you
wouldn't be where you are now, ana you
know it." 1t seemed a shame to twit the
poor fellow for his follies in the past, es-
pecially when he was in such an evidently
weak state. But he did not seem to mind,
for he simply retorted. Isl never did worse
than many Others. The only harm ever
did was to myself. I'm broken down and
never shall get we'll now, so what's the
use of crying oyer split mllk?"
X y n -
But that man.1s alive and well to-day,
and there is quite a possibility that he
will make many balloon ascension vet
before he dies. That same afternoon,
about an hour after the above conversation
took place. friend of the sister came in
and seeing the plight of Wilson-for that's
the ex-so!dier and balloonist's name-ins
sisted that he be taken the next day to the
doctor. There was no oneswho could do
him any good he vowed again and again,
but at last he consented to go anywhere il,
the young lady would accompany him. 1t
so happened that in her home she had
seen some circulars and testimonials of
the marvellous work that the weIl-known
physicians of the HUDSON Medical Insti-
tute are doing with their great vegetable
remedy for nervous and general debility
the great "Hudyanp-and she had made
up her mind that if such wonderful cures
as she had read Of could be made that
Wilson still had reason to hope. And so
the next day they went. The case was,
after most careful and complete exam
ination, pronounced perfectly Durable,
although it was very serious. Pa two
mon his that man is, as said before, quite
restored to strength and vigor.
"Why did l never hear of you before2'
he asked one of the senior surgeons of the
Institute one day. Because you never
came for or wrote for our printed matter.
l suppose" was the reply. I'VE send
them TO any one and every one who cares
to have Them