Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-06-17
RIDING ON A STORM.
A BOAT THAT RODE RIGHT UP THE
DOWNPOURIka RAIN.

Unexpected Turn of a Discussion on Air
ships-To Win In an Argument One
Needs Only to Master His Conscience
and Think In Hurry.
ct don't believe there is any such
thing as an airshipp exclaimed the
man who had his chair tilted back
against the side of the hotel and who
was allowing cigar ashes to drop on his
vest,
"But people have seem 1t" exposeu-
lated the man who wears long red side
whiskers on his head and spats on his
feet.
The other members Of the Curbstone
club drew their chairs up closer and
looked interested.
(which simply goes to show" was
the reply, "that we are living In an era
Of adulteration. Nobody ever saw things
like that before they got to making
chemical laboratories take the place Of
distilleries. What do we want with an
airship anyhow"
Scientists say it's bound to COME"
ventured the proprietor Of white vest
and plated shirt bosom.
| "Of course scientists tell us it's COM
| ing. Scientists have families to support,
the same as other people, and it's their
business to keep public confidence up.
And don't deny that the airship may
be coming some time. But 1t won't get
here till conditions demand it. What
could you do with an airship that can't
be accomplished just as well with a
trolley car or steamship or bicyole2"
Some drops Of rain gave warning of
a storm, and when the party had got
settled in the smoking room the skeptio
resumed:
Surprising they do fix up an arrange
ment to take you up in the air. What is
there to do except to come down againp
Of course you can go from place to
place, but straight line is the shortest
distance between two points, and what's
the use Of taking the extra trouble Of
travelling on a curve through the atmos-
phere3 If there were some way of an
ohoring a cloud and starting roof gar
den on it, I'd say, 60 ahead and have
the airship, by all means. There'd be
money in it.
"But," ventured he Of the plated
shirt front, it would be nice way to
travel, plenty of fresh air and room,
you know"
The storm had increased outside I'M
til its noise attracted general attention.
The man with side whiskers went to
the door and exclaimed:
II guess this is the worst we ever
had In this part of the country"
SIT might be that and still not
amount to MUCH" contemptuously re-
sponded the wearer of the ash sprinkled
vest tits coming down In drops SO far
apart that you can see between them. {"
"They're pretty big drops, though. :"
"Pshawl Compared to the real thing,
this shower is nothing but leak In q
wash boiler. By the way, somebody
was claiming that airship travel would
be oommodious and comfortable and all
that sort Of thing"
81 said that" came the rather timid
confession.
did you ever try voyage at great
altitudeT'
| "No.n
~ thought not. II yon had. you
wouldn't make any suoh assertion.
IA number of Years ago went with
a friend for trfp ON Lake Erie That's
the place for storms. His boat was
| small screw prona,,s- ann ona ~ the
4 !, syy1ftest affairs aver hnilt We saw a
storm coming. and. IN snite Of our
efforts to run away from it. it overlook
"a. Talk about rainl What we encoun-
tered there was a perpendioular river.
| NV friend staid ON deck to see that we
didn't RIM into ANYTHING. and I. Of
course. stood by him. In few minutes
I realized that if something WASH t done
we'd drown right In our tracks. I wait
ed nv opportunity. and presently. when
a big wave came along and Tilted the
1 boat up SO that the deck stood at an an
| gle Of about 45 degrees, / turned the en-
zinc loose ior all there was in it, I
glanced at nv friend. He was white as
| q sheet. but he erasped nv hand in to-
ken of his approval Of what I was do.
ing. 1t was desperate chance, but it
turned out as had hoped. The boat be-
gan to rise steadily and swiftly on
slant. It was time of horrible sus-
pense, for we didn't know what minute
the craft might strike thin spot in the
storm that the paddle wheels wouldn't
take hold OF. But we got safely to the
top and both. sank to the deck in utter
exhaustion. When we recovered suffi-
ciently, we took a survey Of our sur
roundings, and I give you my word l
never experienced anything more dreary
than the impression made by the ire
mendous expanse Of vacancy which met
our gaze on all sides. After a few hours
of it would have given fortune for
sound of train bow peddliug oranges F."
| "How did Won oct doxyn9,s asked GRO
| ~ VIZ Sup.
LII. oan no' ..11 aoouO ~. . 4. - ~.
10y us Ho'oA ap u,AA wo soo 'i'eu =. Ono
| S VIZ liz Nao "uon VIZ