The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-11-18

Hi wind--But For This the Reporter
Couldn't Tell This Interesting Yarn.
Wind was his name.
Hiram Wind, but he told Tho Sun
reporter that they called him Hi for
short.
For q long time," said he, with q
half knavish smile, 81 didn't like the
abbreviation. but when I was 25 and
took to ballooning as business it kind
of sorter seemed as if Providence meant
that I should have had that lame and
no other. Professor Hi Wind" he add
ed with pride, "is a name that is bound
to soar through the loftiest 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 II 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 good
thing when he saw it.
Suppose you narrate one for my
SAKE" suggested the reporter, land let
me add my testimony to that of your
other admirers
'Thanks. don't care il l 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 had her tethered,
and when she got away she seemed like
she was heading right for infinity and
was going the limit or bust a ham
string.
II guess she must have gone up a
mile and half or two miles when /
felt something give way, and in min
ute or two she began to go back the
other way-not fast you understand,
but slow and sure, and in a way to
make you feel mighty uncomfortable.
couldn't tell what the matter was, and
after letting her drop to within about
half mile of bottom I tossed out a lit
tie Of my ballast. was short on para
chutes that day, too, as mine was out
of whack. And being careless, i thought
I'd take my chances. About this time
began to wish hadn't, but didn't say
word for obvious reasons. When lei
the ballast out, the balloon responded
only little, and the way she did il
convinced me that something serious
was the matter. By this time had tc
throw out some more ballast. and il
thing left in the basket besides myself
and about 1000 feet of rope with +,
grapple on the end of it"
"The balloon had begun to sinl
again, and rapidly. And you may guess
that this was time for man to dt
some pretty active thinking if he ex
pected any good results from it, anC
you may be assured l was calculating
Every instant now the balloon wa
gathering velocity, the last movement
downward having begun at a poin
about a quarter Of mile from thu
ground, and l knew that in few sec
'onds was going to be shapeless mas
that couldn't even be photographed fo
a newspaper unless something hap
pened. There was only one thing to do
and that was to relieve the balloon O
its weight and send it back up again
The rope and were heavy enough t.
lessen the weight considerably if WI
should get out, and proposed to do
great act. Getting a good hold on m,
clasp knife, waited for the now whizz
ing earthward balloon to get within
about 1000 feet Of the ground. Then
with the rope tied around my waist ant
the other end fast to the balloon,
jumped out feet foremost straight fo
the earth. l knew that if the balloo,
remained stationary would just abou
reach the ground at the end of the rope
but I figured on q good deal of reao
ton. In fact. calculated the rise of tn
balloon would about meet the fall O
myself at such q point as to make m,
fall comparatively light. and then, whel
she began to sink again, would be 81
near the earth that before she got I,
going at breakneck speed would b.
close enough 70 cut loose and let mysel
down easy. As it turned out, I nigh
have had q leg broken or been shaker
mp pretty badly, but luck was with me
When / Ont loose. / dropped about 81
feet and lit square on top of big straw
stack where some men were thrashing
As for the balloon. ahe was 30 nearl,
exhausted and was coming down 80 fas