Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-06-26
TIRED OF THE TRIP,
so HE GOT OUT OF THE BALLOON
BY THE JUMP ROUTE.

Il went up In balloon once, and I
never want to make such trip again."
said Colonel A. Noel Brakeman. my
experience as an aeronaut was In Lon
don," he continued, land it would
never have occurred but for friend
CHANGED to meet there. He was going
10 make an ascent, and he persuaded
me to accompany him.
1.-THE balloon was a feature of some
big exhibition. and every day 1t was
inflated and made an ascent, with four
or i've passengers, in charge of an ex-
pcrlenced aeronaut There were about
five in the party the day took the trip
We got into the basket, which was
boxed in quite high, then let the rope
60. and we shot up about 5000 feet. 1t
was interesting to look down on the
world and hear the noises of London
streets coming from so far below. The
balloon sailed along smoothly, and we
drifted for about eight miles.
1T was when we tried to descend
that the trouble began, The method
was to throw out anchors as the ba
loon settled toward the earth. Tn.
aeronaut said that when one Of these
anchors caught firmly he would haul
the balloon down to the tree in which
the anchor was expected to become
fastened. This would be done by wind
ing In the rope on winch in the car.
We would be expected to climb out Of
the balloon into the tree, he said, and
he would then take hold of the valve
rope and, standing safe distance
away, open the valve, let the gas es-
cape, and the big affair would collapse
and sink. He informed us that we
must get clear of the sinking folds, as
they would come down fast, and If
they caught and covered us we would
be in an atmosphere of most poisonous
gas.
"All this was very interesting. but
we did not seem to be making very
much progress toward the point where
we would have to look out for the de.
scending folds of the collapsing bal.
loon. The anchors caught in a whole
lot Of trees. but they did not hold. One
would get tangled in tree, and then
the balloon would sway far over tilt
ing the basket in which we were until
it seemed that we would be spilled out.
Then the anchor would break loose,
Qnd x-o would ShnOt nm a ~ In
Il became very tired of this and told
the aeronaut that thought it was time
to bring the voyage to a conclusion.
He told me If did not like 1t could
jump out. At first thought he was
simply resentful Of my remark. but be
said be meant what he said.
"'When the car tits over again. you
climb out on the edge. be said. and lei
60. 1t will probably be a plowed field
underneath lis. and you won't get hurt.
"Well. l did as he suggested. When
the anchor caught again. | climbed out
and hung to the edge of the car. When
! saw that the car was as low as 1t was
likely to get. I let 60. dropped about
u feet. and. as be expected, q plowed
field was below us.
LAS soon as l dropped out the bal
loon. relieved Of my weight, shot up In
the air again and scared off. l walked
to the nearest ooad and continued along
It until came to an inn.
II asked the landlord how far It was
to London. and he told me 1t was eight
miles. l ordered a carriage to take me
there, and while was waiting the
landlord asked me where l had come
from.
II took him to the door Of the Inn,
and. pointing to the balloon. which was
then sailing along about quarter Of n
mile above the ground, | said. i jump.
ed out of that.
"The man looked Mt me in alarmed
fashion. and after had returned to the
sitting room | noticed that several peo-
pie peered through the window at me.
"Finally my four wheeler was ready,
and | set off for London. After we had
driven along for half an hour or SO the
coachman suddenly turned the horse in
through Sdte' anu VIZ uioNC INV I" D'e
courtyard. yelled to him and asked
him what he meant. that ] wanted to
70 straight to London, but he paid no
attention and slowly circled the court.
When he stopped on the other side, q
man wearing glasses stuck his head IN
the carriage. scrutinizing me closely,
pulled back, said something to the
coachman. and we drove on to London.
"Finally we reached my lodgings,
and when we did SO the coachman
jumped or the box, ran up the steps
and as soon as his knock was answered
asked II Mr.. Brakeman lived there.
The maid was. just answering that l
did when l reached the top of the steps
and collared the fellow.
"'What was that place you drove me
into on our way to LondonT I asked
him.
at was q hinsane hasylum, sir he
replied When you said you had jump
ed out O. that balloon, we thought you
was crazy and maybe you was es-
capped patient from the hasylum.' ~
Washington Post.