The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-23

rent and were about to wheel rapidly
around. But no, 1t always riGhted itself
It's ropes, twisted for the moment, would
straighten and little tug al The basket
would tell me that / was again being
drawn along by the balloon.
But all of a sudden something strange
happened. A. great gust heaving upward
like distressed wind. struck the bottom
of my basket and felt it shake; and then
/ do not expect to be believed, but the
basket shot upward and touched the bal
loon itself. It's ropes doubled up. its
wires bent, all It's elaborate lacing seemed
to rela., and as sure as ] live, | could
nave gr lsped the balloon with ly hand
IL was only for a moment, then the
apes ielaye' and the basket dropped and
We went sallins upward
/ relnon Der measuring the wind then
ard taking my chart. The figures now
show that must have been at that mo-
mcnt exactly ten thousand feet above the
level of The sea. While ! was setting
down tie figures and congratulating my
self that we were nov in d smooth sea
Of air, a strange thing happened, Won
dernii tn ny. Up, as was, above the
reach IF the Cloud mists, there came a
gr. at ou'i report. like a peal Of thunder,
| glanced upward the sky was smiling
the great sun standing sentinel over a
pleasant day. The thunder came again,
this time long, rolling report like a
rumbling from heaven. At the same
time / noticed that we were sinking.
In sn instant the truth became clear
to me. The balloon had burst and we
were falling 10 the earth. / say we, be-
caus. he entire car becomes human to
balloonist, like a locomotive to its
driver; or to be more commonplace, a
bicycle IL its rider!
looked down. involuntarily, WHICH was
a foolish thing TO do. We were descend
ing rapidly, SO rapidly in fact that. as
looked / saw a tall tower come In sight,
next | saw another and another. We were
dropping into city. afterwards learned
that IL was Vienna, but al that moment
! could only see the spire pointing straight
upward toward me as though 1t were wait
ing to receive US on its steel tipped point.
thought instantly OF throwing my bal
last overheard, a desperate thing 10 do,
but ! accomplished IL. Relieved of it's
extra weight the balloon rose slightly for
a minute, then began TO sink more rapidly
than ever I though OF my parachute 1t
was at home. / thought OF everything.
But what can a man do when bursted
balloon is above him and he is dropping
to earth In lis basket.
looked down again. the steeple was
taking form. its ribbed sides showed
tiny windows and through the top ore
/ fancled / could sec the bell. In my
band was still the pencil with which
had made my record and, taking It be-
tween my fingers, in cold clutch wrote
The words. I am dying happily. ] have
reached my term. Science triumphs."
There was time for no more. In the new
horror OF the situation--taKing on mo-
mentarily newer and more awful phases
Il say my end, There below me stretch
ed an open lake. To fall In 1t would mean
death from drowning, for could not hope
TO save myself with the ropes>so twisted
around me-
TIE lake was still little way off. but
the car was heading for 1t.
There was no alternative now. Though