The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
ONE WOMAN'S QUEER LIFE.
HER BUSINESS IS TO JUMP FROM
BALLOONS ON A PARACHUTE

IL very Fascinating, She REPRESENTATION
Of Failing From Great Heights--Advon-
lures That Brought Her Near Death.
"Aeronauts ever retire? Well. seldom Usually
we keep putting II of from time to time Then
something happens and very likely II is too late
to retire. We may be killed or MANNED for life.
That ends our career and we arc soon forgotten"
Mile Ida LEROY, young woman Of %,
was adjusting the ropes Of her parachute at the
Milwaukee fair grounds the other day while she
was discussing the life that aeronauts lead.
Its q queer sort OF life and yet perhaps it's
as good as any other. It's one Of those profess
ions In which you once get mover TO leave again.
Why For several reasons To begin with.
there's q certain fascination about II that mono Of
us can explain The excitement Is pleasing 10 us
all. You 60 up like a shot and come down faster
sometimes It's all over in a moment you hear
the crowds applaud, evidently you have satisfied
them, and your work Is over We do not work
many hours and while the pay we get is not what
II ought to DO considering risks yet is enough
to make fair living That's why am an aero
maui It's as easy way 10 make respectable
living know Of Dangerous? Why yes,
but never think Of that I'll have plenty OF time
to consider that end Of tho business when fate
overtakes me, as l suppose It will some day. II
gets the best of every aeronaut ever knew and
have met quite number In my times They all
meet their day and when they do they wish that
they had retired they had planned long ago
Tho leading qualification to mako q sue
oossful aeronaut is nerve and lots Of IT, II
you have tho nerve and cool head you're all
right II you have not don't be an aeronaut
You can't be timid and trust to luck. Be narvy
and let luck take care Of itself and the chances
arc that you will come out all right Always
keep cool head no matter what happens That
any other A merchant or board OF trade man
may lose his nerve at tho critical moment and
lose his fortune We not only lose our fortune but
our lives. So you sec we have more al stake than
the average professional or business man. They
have their lives loft when they fail; we lose all in
q single fall That's why We are careful not to
lose our nerve Happen what will, we are never
frightened. We keep cool head do tho best
thing VIC can In the emergency and trust to luck
that We Will como out all right No, have never
been frightened or had any presentiment Of dan
ger. Not even on my first trip did feel anything
but confident that would como back safe, You
see a sort OF reckless people, we do not fear
death and that helps us a great deal. l have
watched during the Ave years that have been
following this business my friends killed ono by
one. but can't say that am not feeling safe
and easy today as over was. or course, Il is
only natural that when these accidents come TO
our notice that We are more careful 1t is true
may examine the seams Of my parachute with
greater care than at other times, but that extra
precauton Is soon forgotten and go along at the
same old gait am always reasonably careful
and that is probably why have been lucky.
Il got into this business in q somewhat peculiar
manner. My home is in Dayton, Ohio, although
mako my headquarters at Mount Vernon. About
i've years ago attended a fair at Osborne Ohio.
where Mile. Victoria 10 Roy made an ascension.
The ease and grace with which she went up at
uacted my attention. My reckless disposition
got the better OF me and | told friend OF mine
that felt that could do that feat as we'll as Mile
Victoria. That night as l went home my friend
dared mo try II. Now, II there is any one thing
in this world that will not submit to it is being
dared. l wrote noto TO Mile Victoria and told
her wanted 10 become an aeronaut She answered
that might Join her. left my homo and two
days later was ready TO take my first trip.
Victoria was dear but Of course sho had
eye for business She advertised that would
take my first trip up and Of course it drew out
a tremendous crowd to 17yearold
girl undertake SO dangerous a voyage / will
never forget how l felt I was not afraid, but
little nervous. As the time for the ascension
came on tho managers OF tho affair began TO
fear that might back out but told them was
game enough to go up as soon as they could in
fate the bag. Victoria told me Just what to do.
The last words were Keep cool and don't loso
your nerve and you'll come out all right
Il went up between two and three thousand feet
that's the usual distance aeronauts fly and
then Victoria sgnaled me to make the parachute
leap. That was the critical moment But
did Just as was told and away went. II seemed
to me that the parachute would never open.
dropped and dropped. and then as l was about
to give up all hope the parachute spread open
and came down slowly. II was queer feeling
that came me l felt thankful and for the
time concluded that if ever reached the ground
safely would never leave it again in a balloon.
l did not know how TO control my breath. That
is something Victoria had forgotten TO tell me,
and could scarcely breathe when landed. But
l camo down safe. Tho crowds cheered mo time
and again and il was not until then that really
realized that had completed my first trip.
After that one the rest came easy, and now
l think nothing of going up in balloon as long
as know the balloon am going to ride The
worst OF it Is to get started. The initiating of
the bag is what makes me nervous, especially
on windy days But once under way forget
all about being nervous or feeling tired. l con
centrate all my thoughts on my work l dismiss
all suspicion OF danger. l watch every rope,
SEQ that the parachute IL in readiness and when
l am UP high enough l drop. When land
study the ground as far as possible and usually
come out safe.
Adventures? We all have them and some
arc exciting enough for any ordinary use OF
the 100 times that l have ridden a balloon
my closest call was at Vicksburg Miss, year
ago last December. You soc l can't swim
had gone up believing that was going to 90
away from the river. but instead struck a cur
rent Of air that carried the balloon over what is
known Centennial Lake l dropped right
into tho water and there I was helpless My
parachute soon began to get so wet that the can
vas would not hold mo up The people on shore
saw mo and were rowing toward mo as fast as
they could, but the question was whether would
hold out long enough. l had Just about given
out when tho boat arrived and was picked up
II was close call and the next day I was un
able 70 ride tho balloon.
That same summer / had another narrow
escape II was over in Paris, Ohio. Tho weather
was perfect and was slowly coming down with
my parachute In a railroad yard. AS l looked
about saw two trains coming toward each other,
Al.