The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-07-14
RIDING ON A STORM.
A BOAT THAT RODE RIGHT UP THE
DoNNPoURlNG RAIN.

and Think IN a Hurry.
"I don't believe there is any such
thing as an airshipr' 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 seen it," expostu-
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 adultoration. 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 us other people, and it's their
business to keep public confidence M.
And | don't deny that the airship may
be coming some time. But il won't get
here till conditions demand it. What
could you do with an airship that cant
be accomplished just as well with Il
trolley car OF stcamshipor bicyclc?'
Some drops of rain gave warning Of
a storm, and when the party had got
settled in the smoking room the skoptic
resumed:
surprising they do fix mp an arrange
mcnt TO take you up in the air. What is
there TO do except 10 come down again?
OF course you can so from place to
place. hut q straight line is the shortest
distance between twopoints, and what s
the use of taking the extra trouble of
travelling on curve through tie atmOs-
phcrc? u there were some way Of an
choring q cloud and starting II roof gar-
den on it, Id say, Go ahead and have
the airship, hy all means. Thorc'd lc
money in it,. ~
But" vonturcd he Of the plated
shirt front, "it would be n nice way to
travel, plenty OF fresh air and room,
you know"
The sto,m had increased outside un-
til its noise attracted general attention.
Tie man with side whiskers went to
the door and exclaimed:
II guess this in the worst we ever
had in this part of the country"
at might be that and still not
amount to much," contcmptuously re-
sponded the wearer of the ash sprinEled
vest. Its coming down in drops 50 far
apart that you can see between them. "
They're pretty big drops, though. "
"Pshaw Compared to the real thing
this shower is nothing but a leak in a
wash boiler. By the way, somebody
was claiming that airship travel would
be commodous and comfortable and all
that sort of thing"
II said that" came the rather timid
confession.
did you ever try voyage at a great
altitude?"
"No."
"I thought not. II you had, you
wouldn't make any such assertion.
"A number of years ago went witt.
friend for trip on Lake Eric. That's
the place for storms. His boat was a
small screw propeller and one of the
swiftest affairs ever built. We saw a
storm coming, and, in spite of our
efforts to run away from it, it overlook
us. Talk about rain! What we encoun-
tered there was perpendicular river.
Ny friend staid ON deck to see that we
didn't run into anything, and l, Of
course, stood by him. In few minutes
l realized that if something wasn't donc
we'd drown right in our tracks. l wait
ed my opportunity, and presently, when
q big wave came along and tilted tho
boat up so that the deck stood at an an
gle of about Do degrees, turned the en-.
gine loose for all there was in it.
glanced at my friend. He was white as
sheet, but he grasped my hand in to-
ken OF his approval of what l WAS do
ing. 1t was desperate chance, but il
turned out as had hoped. The boat be-
gan to rise steadily and swiftly on 9
slant. 1t was a time of horrible sns.
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 uttei
exhaustion. When we recovered suffi
ciently. we took survey of our sur,
roundings, and i give you my word
never experienced anything more dreaiy
than the impression made by the tire
mendous expgn.3 Of vacancy which me,
Dur gaze ON all sides. After few hours
Of it l would have given fortune fol
the sight Of few telegraph poles or thu
sound Of train boy peddling oranges. ;
:" How did you get DOWN." asked ont
of the group.
"We didn't bother about that. Afte
playing seven up till we got tired of tn,
game we turned in, and when w
awakened it was broad daylight. W,
found that as the storm subsidized W,
had sunk gently until we were drifting
in sunshine and safety on the broad
placid bosom Of Lake Erie"
"And you say you don't believe il
any such thing as an airship?" queriet