The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-12-31

"When my full senses came back, I
felt that my feet were off the ground.
[ looked down. The earth was q hun
dred feet below me. Next moment it |
seemed nearer, and I saw why. The
balloon, carried swiftly by the wind,
had already lifted me over the wood.
Tt was drifting toward the German
camp.
"All this occurred SO quickly that I
was more surprised than scared. Some
how, perhaps because was lifted so
easily, I had q sort of confidence that
[ should be as easily set down. But
where? How long could I keep my
hold? The balloon might rise above
the clouds, with me dangling a thou
sand feet below it till I must drop
from exhaustion.
81 must have something on which
my feet or legs could press. The SEN
sation that they were heighing me
down was hideous. l lifted one leg
as if to clutch it round something
firm. You know how man will do
that when he is holding on by his
hand and beginning to lose his grip.
It is an unconscious movement. Well,
my 7leg touched the trailing rope-the
rope which passed down in front Of
my body, and which followed slanting
behind me, just as the rope abefe
slanted up from me to the balloon.
cat touch of the rope I instinctively
threw forward my legs, but failed to
hold the rope between them With
that, a great shout came up from a
brigade Of our infantry over which I
was passing. The soldiers, suppose,
had not quite understood the horror
Of my situation till they saw the move
ment of my legs.
"With the sense of being watched
by thousands 1 felt q certain new
strength come. I thrust: forward my
left leg till 1 felt the ropes inside tie
thigh, then clutched with. the right
h leg and held the rope. Fhen IEieked
my right foot round and got . Better
hold. 29This gave 8 good zeal Of relief
to my hands. Then i looked down.
"Directly beneath me-' we're the
: spiked helmets Of aGerIaan feg hnents
All were gazing upward. Fifty thou,
sand enemies lookeda steadily, as me.
They had stopped, overcome with
wonder.
HRiAe firing between the outposts
/ Unjust hage, ceaSedasI vas dangling
sEoFer their ground, for SHOOTING seemed
10 break. out afresh and distant as I
looked.down into the faces Of squad,
ron of'Bhlapss
| "The Uhlans pointed in amazement
at me with their lances. One must
> have raised his carbine to fire at me-
9 for I stinctly heard a loud cry:
"No! Do not shoot. We will fox
t low and capture the balloon, and the
officers in it. If you kill the man HI
{ will fall, then his weight will relieve
the balloon, and up it will go again,
J.. Cup it will 60 again! Again! [
a was we'll for me 1 understood Ger
! man. The balloon must then be fall
i, ing, and quickly, too. Hope an'
A strength revived me. understood
better than the Uhlans what was hap
t pening.
t. my officers, away up above, wer
It releasing gas. They were riskini
: capture to save me. They were try
b ing to put me so near the ground tina
I could drop safely.
l., Looking up, / saw family for a,
II instant their white faces gazing dow
n and back at mine. They waved thei
"a shakos at me.
it "They were indeed trying to say
the poor private soldier God bles
o them for brave men and honest Off
10 GERS! Iresolyed to drop when with
If thirty feet Of the ground, and thus say
d them.
"The balloon as it descended, mus
l. hove reached breeze of little speed
1t lOr Uue OAlduS, MuOn L udu AC1A " I'll
Is sometimes seen Gathering further an
4, further behind, were again gallopin
" beneath me. Every man was lookin
If upward. All were taking bitches an
ID hedges in their strides. With the es
element of the chase they began
Y yell. Their leader silenced them wit
v an angry command.
a "They now carried their lance
S. pointing straight.up by their knees
d, every butt in its socket. I had til
to thought that I must, when I fell, |
ne impaled on those glittering points.
was necessarily turning, and gre
If more and more giddy.. [ attempted t
of seize therope with my teeth, and faile
to EXPRESSIONS of pity cane from tt
he: Eins Uhlaas.
Nc Is ePoor mani said. theif leader
c6 'polg fellow Here Fritz, try al
or pufap your lance IN the loop. Th'
e, galI6p a little raster, and yeu MI
ug help him down.