The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-04-19

rerience in life, called upon his near
est friend, Phil, to share his interest
in the matter of an aeronautic expert
ment.
"a hundred feet-phew!" exclaimed
Phil, when shown the account of the
adventure on Harlem High bridge. 81
wouldn't like to have been he, would
you?"
3"Why not?" said Tom. she was sure
to turn up all right. 1 wouldn't be
afraid to try it,"
Wouldn't you?"
Phil looked at him with respect.
''Of course 1 wouldn't" said Tom.
"Only there isn't any such high place
anywhere about here"
"Pshaw, now! You wouldn't do any
such thing. You wouldn't go down half
such high place-nor quarter. You
wouldn't-well, you wouldn't GO off the
barn or the house."
Wouldn't L? That's the very thing
I'm going to do"
''When?' asked Phil, in a doubling
tone.
''Any time. Now. This is just as good
time as any other. Come up to the
garnet with me and I'll go out of that
window"
what if you should get hurt?" asked
Phil.
81 don't expect to, because 1 know
what I'm about
Phil followed Tom into the house, and,
not having arrived at such a knowing
age, looked admiringly on while he Sc
lected the largest umbrella from the
hatraclk in the hall, without suspi.
cion that, in the bottom of his heart,
Tom was conscious of wish that his
mother might in some way learn what
he proposed doing, and forbid it. But
she was nowhere near, and the two
mounted to the garnet.
Now, you see," said Tom, as he
opened window and stepped out upon
a ledge formed by the jutting out OF
the lower edge of the mansard roof,
there can't be any mistake about the
thing, for Nature never makes mis-.
takes. The pressure of air under the
umbrella is the thing that holds it up,
ana IL can fall.
Whether Tom said this as much to
prop up his own sinking courage as to
enlighten his friend cannot be known.
for he will not be likely to tell. But
certain it was that he was beginning
to wish earnestly that anything might
bring mother upstairs. If it had not
been for Phil he certainly would have
given up his venture. But how could
he back out after having said so much?
He had been standing up bravely for
Dame Nature and her laws; surely she
would do her part in standing by him.
""Dear me, don't!" implored Phil, his
head getting dizzy as he took "a peep
down into the garden below. You'll
be sure to break your arm or some
thing. It's long ways down there"
"Pshaw!" said Tom. ''That man
went down hundred feet This isn't
morn than, say, 25 feet or so. Mother,
are you down there?'' he cried.
But no mothers voice answered.
"Now watch" he said. 'I'm going to
make for that little plot of grass"
He would still have drawn back if
he had not said so much. With a des-
perate mental effort of faith in Nature
he tightly clutched his open umbrella
in both hands and sprang out upon
nothing.
But alas for Tom! Good old Dame
Nature stood ready to do her part, and
did it; but how could the maker of
that umbrella have anticipated that it
would ever be called upon to do duty
as a parachute? At the first strong
downward pull, crack fap-up went
its ribs, showing that the fully-relied-
on pressure of air had not failed.
There was helpless movement of the
feet, gasping for breath in the quick
rush of air, dreadful Earring fall, and
then Tom lay stunned and motionless
in the midst of the pansy bed.
In great terror Phil rushed down
through the house and stood at Toms
side.
''Oh. Tom, are you killed? Are you
hurt?''
Tom looked about him with dazed
expression, then tried to get up, but
fell back with moan.
The jar of the fall had thrown his
hip out of joint, and all he suffered and
all he thought before he was again able
to work in the garden will probably be
lifelong benefit to him.
Il am as sure as / was before,
though" he said one day to Phil, when
he came to see him, that if that old
umbrella hadn't gone back on me l
should have come down all right"
'Then are you going to try it again 2"
asked Phil.
But Tom did not say. And / have
never heard that he did.-Golden Days