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

limits of the atmosphere, / increased the
electrical condition of the regulator,
which made the machine shoot upwards
with such velocity that the resisting fric-
ton of even the rarefied air at that inn
mense height very perceptibly increased
the interior temperature. But this in
crease of temperature did not last long.
In a very few minutes the thermometer
fell almost to zero, and | had again to
set in motion the heat generator till the
thermometer reached 20 degrees Cent?
grade, at which comfortable temperature
[ intended to maintain the machine till
| reached my destination. / was now
quite satisfied that | had quite passed
the limits of the atmosphere, SO [ discon-
tinued my perpendicular ascent and
steered straight for the point at which |
should meet the planet Mars in it's orbit
round the sun. The regulator was at
high electric pressure, so that the Shoot
ing Star was now flying like real
shooting star, with a velocity Of fifty
miles second, yet | had not the slightest
sense of motion. This was of course to
be expected, as | was now travelling
through a non-resisting medium, and
there were nc landmarks, or rather sky
marks, to be passed in front of me. Still,
though | felt no motion, the machine, /
knew from the indications of the veloci-
Mars and the sun were nearly in opposi-
ton, would bring me to my journeys end
in about ten days.
My position was strange and novel
one. For a time l was lost in admira-
ton of my own daring; but by degrees
this feeling wore off and a reaction set
in [ began to feel terribly lonely. A
dark sky studded with glittering stars
everywbere-above, in front, to right, to
left, and unfathomable depths below me-.
NV machine seemed the center of the
universe, and l the only living sentient
creature in existence. With the excep-
ton of the monotonous ticking OF the
velocimeter, and the twinkling of the
stars all around, above, and below me,
everything seemed silent and motiOnless.
To dissipate, if possible, the depression
which was fast creeping over me, 1
lighted cigar, and leaning back in my
steering seat puffed out clouds of fra
grant Havana. At the same time l
drew linen covering across the lower
part of the machine (Which. it will be
remembered, was of a material as trans
parent as glass; in order to hide from
view those terrible twinkling stars be-
low me, the sight of which made me feel
giddy. ''By-and-by | may get used to
aloud, and the sound Of my own voice
combined with the fragrant fumes of
my Havana cheered me wonderfully.
When l had finished smoking began to
feel somewhat drowsy. and at last dozed
off to sleep. [ had not slept long, when
| woke in a terrible fright. L had
dreamt that the machine had been
struck by flashing meteor. and that |
was falling, falling, down, down, down,
into those fathomless, starry depths be-
low me. But | soon recovered the use
of my reason, and smiled at the absurdi-
ty of the notion. ''Whither should |
fall?" 1 said. ''Those starry depths
me, as much as are those twinkling
myriads overhead. If | were at this
moment to open the door of the machine
and Jump out, / should fall, not into
those unfathomable depths under my
feet, but simply back to my machine, by
virtue of our mutual attraction. But II
anything went wrong with the regulator
-ah, then, that indeed would be a case.
We should both then fall-perhaps back
again to earth: perhaps to the moon;
perhaps we should circulate forever
round either the one or the other; per-
haps-but, by the way, where are now
the earth and the moonT" l exclaimed,
suddenly turning round.
The sight which met my eyes for q
moment startled me, though l might have
foreseen it. There appeared to be two
crescent-shaped moons in the sky; one
four or five times the size of the ordinary
moon, and the other, a short distance
from it, about half her size; while the
glorious orb of the sun was shining with
dazzling splendor little to the right OF
them. Which was the real moon, and
what was the other! l did not require lI
q telescope to decide the question. Ihe
smaller was the real moon, OF which 1t
exhibited all the usual features, though
on a much diminished scale; the larger
and more splendid moon / Immediately
concluded to be the earth. This conclu-
sion was confirmed, not only by appear
ances of which [ shall speak presently,
but also by the Indications of my velocl-
meter, which informed me that had now
travelled rather more than 235.OOO miles.
At this discovery my spirits rose to the
highest degree, my exultatlon beng now
as great as my depression had been pre-
viously. But the rays of the sun RAD
now raised the internal temperature OF
the machine and it's confined air to the
heat of an Indian summer, SO that / had
at once to lower the artificial heat when
r had generated before. / had also to put
up a screen to protect myself against the
great luminary's burning beams. Hence
forward there was to be no more night
for me till reached my destination ana
alighted on the planet Mars.
The rest of my voyage was COMPARE
began to approach the planet Mars, The
earth and moon both grew gradually
smaller and smaller, till the former as
sumed the appearance of large bright
star, which shone with a clear, steady
light; while the latter disappeared alto,
gether. On the other hand, the planet
Mars went through, the reverse process,
From the bright red star with which we
are familiar, it slowly increased til its
round disk became plainly perceptlble to
the naked eye, this disk expanded slowly
at first, but afterward much more RAPID
". till at last it attained the size Of the
| full moon as seen from the earth. When
it had reached this magnitude l knew |
was within few hours of my journey
end, and that it would soon be. neces-
sary for me to diminish the electric pres
sure, and slacken speed to avoid a catas,
| trophe. 1t was now the tenth day from
when I started. Twelve hours had
passed since woke from my last sleep
and 1 thought it advisable to defer the
moment of my alighting till | had re.
| cruited body and mind with one more
refreshing sleep, and good strengthen
ing breakfast after. accordingly. halt
ed altogether at this point, diminishing