Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-04-26
CHAPTER III.

In the quiet stiffness of the night / tried
it in my garden, whose high walls protect
ed me from all curious eyes. Stepping
in, and seating myself in the steering seat
/ gave a slight turn to the ivory handle
of one of the wheels of the regulator
Gently and slowly the machine rose per-
pendicularly from the ground for height
of about two feet. / reversed this wheel
to nearly it's original position. The up
ward motion was at once arrested and
the machine stood motionless in the air.
/ then gave a gentle twist to the ivory
handle of another wheel. The machine
glided slowly and nOiselessly through the
open door into the garden, maintaining
always the same height from the ground.
| turned a third wheel. This gave the
machine a twisting, circular motion left
ward, till it was reversed and pointed to
the door from which it had issued.
then quickly reversed this last wheel to
it's original position, whereupon the ma
chine glided back again into my work
shop.
[ thus proved by actual trial that the
Shooting Star could be steered in any
direction / pleased. The slowness of the
motion was due to the low electric con-
dition at which | kept the regulator BY
raising its electrical activity, L could. l
knew, impart to the machine veloclty
compared with which that of cannon
ball would be sluggish. Such velocity
/ might and would venture upon when
once / got fairly into the airess expanse
beyond the atmosphere; but TO do SO be-
fore would, / knew, be the destruction
both of myself and my machine. The
resisting friction of the air would in
stantly raise the temperature of the
Shooting Star to red heat, and l should
be burnt to a cinder. No, no: knew bet
ter than run the risk of such catastro-.
phe.
Having thus tested by actual expert
ment the capabilities of the Shooting
Star it only remained to equip myself for
my long and venturesome journey.
placed in the machine a sufficient amount
of food, compressed oxygen, my heat gen
orator, a rifle and ammunition, etc, ETC.,
not forgetting few packets OF cigars TO
cheer my solitude-altogether general
equipment for a journey of about SIX
months. Not that it would take me that
time, or anything like it, to reach my
destination, but it would be prudent to
provide against unknown contingencies
when got there, as well as Tor my re-
turn home. But what was to be my
destination? OF all the planets of the
solar system which was / to choose for
nv first trip? That question | had de-
cided long ago. My first journey should
be to the planet which, as most resem-
bling the earth, would be most likely to
give me a hospitable reception on my ar
Mars.
[ had already informed my housekeep-
err that l was going to start that night
on a long journey, from which should
nrobab not return for some months, and
had left instructions with my banker to
allow her so much a week till returned
Little did the poor old soul, who was
probably at that moment sleeping tran
GULLY in her bed, dream how long that
journey was to be.
At last all my preparations were COM
pleted. Again | stepped into my lying
machine and seated myself in the steer
ing seat: this time not to make trlal
trip of few yards into my garden, but a
voyage of millions of miles into, another
and a wholly unknown world. 1t was
the Sd of September, and the clock was
striking the midnight hour. The sky was
cloudless, and myriads of stars gllttered
all over the heavenly vault, the red light
reflected from the planet Mars being
particularly conspicuous.
Slowly and noiselessly as before, the
Shootin- Star glided out into the night.
When it had gone a few yards l made 1t
ascend perpendicularly into the air, just
like a balloon in a perfect calm. In
few moments it had attained height
that made a perceptible difference in the
temperature. | accordingly halted, and
set the heat generator to work, which
soon brought UP the temperature OF the
interior to the requisite degree OF com
fort. Then I continued my ascent. Pres
emily | began to experience some d1f1l-
Guilty of breathing This necessitated an
other brief stoppage in order to gasify
some of my solidifed oxygen and nitro
gen. accordingly shut off all communi-
cation with the outward air. and set the
gasifer to work. The whole OF the ma
chinery worked so beautifully that it did
not TAX more than minute or two TO
generate an abundant supply of fresh air,
which obtained, [ at once resumed my
ascent.
When 1 thought I was nearing the