Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-01-29
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

Broke Loose from Its MOOrinps Dur
ing the War-HeroisIn of Abby Becker,
the Grace Darling of Lake Eric.
"Since I came to Washington,
couple of weeks ago, have had not
less than dozen invitations by
friends to accompany them to the top
1f the Washington Monument, hut
each has been declined with thanks"
said j. NJ. Underwood, of California,
to Il Star reporter.
There isn't money enough in the
world TO tempt me to go to the top of
the monument. l recall with shud-
der one time i'll my life when 1 went
up high enough to more than satisfy
me, aud made solemn VOW then that
ii lived to get back to terra tirma ]
would spend the rest of my life SO near
to the earth as possible.
''How was it? Well. I don't mind
telling you, if I 10 not bore you. Dur
ing the war the Government employed
Professor Low, an aeronaut to make
ascensions in the interest of the Union
arms. 1t was practicable, inasmuch
as the movements of the enemy could
be easily watched. At Yorktown, Va,
one day, General Fitziohn Porter, who
was then in command, made an ascen
sion with Professor Low, aud I ac-
companied him.
Casually two soldiers were detailed
to accompany the professor On
this occasion only one was necessary
The two men who had been previously
detailed began toquibble among them
selves as to who should go, and the
captain of our company finally gave
the order that neither should go.
"What's the matter with your 60
ing, Underworld the captain yelled
to me.
81 didn't stop to think what was
getting into, and assented at once.
The balloon was controlled by ropes
attached to windlasses on the ground.
Two soldiers were usually stationed Mt
these windlasses, and they pulled the
balloon back to earth upon signal
from the professor. On this occasion
the men at the windlasses let lis up
several hundred feet, and, as the pro-
fessor was about to survey the enemy
with his glass, something gave way
down below and we began soaring
away into space.
"Higher and higher we went, the
windlasses dangling at the end of the
ropes in the air. Professor Low took
in the situation coolly and seemed ap-
parently at home the higher we got.
= 1--WE will go up until we get into
another current of air, he said to Gen
eral Porter and me, as he caught hold
of IL valve.
"'Don't be alarmed, as we shall get
back all right. But caution you not
to look downward
"If he hadn't admonished us not to
I presume that / wouldn't have
thought of it. At the time, I was
standing up in the basket, with my
gun in one hand. With the other hand
1 had firm grasp on one of the ropes
that held the basket. My Yankee
curiosity asserted itself and I looked
down. God forbid that / may ever
again have such feelings. L cant de-
scribe them. l only know that ! fairly
basket. My gun went overheard.
Such agony of mind 1 had never
experienced before. 1 have never ex-
perienced such feelings since, and 1
am confident that 1 shall never place
myself in condition to experience any
thing like them in the future.
"Well, we went up into another cur
rent of air, which, with the professors
control of the balloon, enabled us to
drift back toward where we went up.
General Porter was as cool as a Gu
cumber, though I recall that he ex-
pressed himself as feeling more secure
when we returned to terra firma. The
balloon, after the windlasses became
disengaged, had foated over the en-
emy and toward Richmond.
THAT experience away from earth
was enough for me. Not much do I
care to visit the top of the monument
never look at it without shudder."