Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1897-07-01

let me hear about that first trip. for
I've a notion that there IS good story
attached to it,
My seatmate was Prof" Raymond.
the aeronaut He had made i Fourth
of July ascension that afternoon from
w. aud had gone up with him in
my capacity As reporter on the W
Daily Tribune.
We had IanSed uneventfuliy in tur-
nip field. about 20 miles away. and
had packed up the balloon and its FIX
ings" just in season to catch the even
ing train for the city
WE'LL" said Mr.. Raymond. there
was q story attached to that first bal
loon ride of mine. thirty-odd years ago;
but don't tell it very often. for the
reason that. even after all these years.
IL brings back some of the sensations
that l experienced at that timex
periences that you will soon see were
not particularly agreeable while Was
undergoing them
MY father and mother both died be
fore was IL years old. so that was
thrown entirely upon my own re-
sources. Even at that early age be-
gan to hire out for various kinds of
service in my native town in New
Hampshire, where l worked in this way
until 1 was Is years of age
Il had been working in a sawmiIl
the year that | was Is. aud my time
expired the third day of July, and.
though l expected to hire out again
at the same place, IL pleased my fancy
TO take a weIl-earned holiday on the
Fourth. when could feel myself en-
tirely my own master. IL would be
time enough. thought, to hire out
again when the holiday was over.
There was to oe a celebration in a
neighboring town, with a balloon as
oensiou, races and all the other attrac-
tons that are usual on such occasions.
with a grand display of fireworks in
the evening"
The balloon ascension had special
attractions for me. as had never seen
anything of the kind. and was up
carly on the morning of the Fourth,
and. setting out for town before six
o'clock. resolved to take in the whole
affair. from the early parade of An
tiques and Horribies to the last rocket
that should be fired in the evening. l
had earned holiday b. hard work. and
had good right to feel iight-hearted-
Il don't think that anything in the
way Of entertainment escaped me that
day. l was unused to the sights and
sounds Of Fourth of July celebrations.
and l drank in everything with the
keen enjoyment of boyhood, with an
especially keen enjoyment. probably.
because Of the plodding. unesentful life
had been leading so long.
The Antiques and Horribles were
properly appreciated The efforts of
those who tried to reach the five-dol-
lar gold piece, said 70 be reposing on
the top of q very greasy pole. were
greatly enjoyed. as were also the efforts
of certain men and boys to possess
themselves Of fat young porker.
whose entire surface was in the same
slippery condition rs the pole with the
i've dollars atop
There was a contest of fire engines.
or tuba as they were called, manned
by red-xhirted young fellows from sew
eral neighboring towns There were
foot races. sack races. and ball game
upon the common. boat race upon the
river. and then the great balloon ascen-
fion-
1T was about two o'clock in the after
noon that the crowd began to gather
around the big balloon that was slowly
being nlled with hot air Such balloons
stay up only q hah-hour or SO. and
land not far away from the point where
they 60 up. unless the wind is blowing
hard This ws~ one of the largest OF
the hot-sIr balloons then in use. and II
took some time 10 ill from the mouth
Of an oven-ike affair that set above
trench. in which big ire was snap
ping and roaring. fed ey pitch wood ana
oI soaked barrel staves-
Ths dras-rope was lying cooled upon
the ground, and the balloon was held
down BY stout ropes carried out en- all
uidexL
-As the huge affair got larger and
larger and began to tug vigorously On
tie ropes. we boys who were looking On
gos more and more excited. and when
they began TO get the basket ready to
fasten y1der the balloon We had
crow4sd up pretty close to the great
swLyinx aly ship-