The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-08-23

| though i thought IL must be blowing
hard overhead. The storm was, as II
were, vast advancing hand, half
open, the palm down and the fingers
thrust out above me. The palm or
wrist, thought, would not reach me
In air.
As the parachute opened out and
my speed slackencd began, as usual,
| to look out and up for the danger that
| threatens parachute at every descent.
After the parachute IL cut loose the
balloon, II unweighted, Will float for
miles out across the country before
finally overturning and tumbling back
| to the earth. When IL has reached the
| ground. some one must take trip 10
bring IL In with team and wagon.
| This means loss OF time and money.
10 avoid which n heavy weight II at
tached 10 the top OF the balloon. and
this causes IL to turn over soon after
II liz free.
Now a balloon with this weight nt-
tached TO II Is n pretty heavy thing,
and II, In falling, II happens TO miss
the parachute, all right! But II II hap
pens to crash down into the slow
falling umbrella. II is oil over. Moth
ing but miracle can save the men.
After had parted company with
the balloon IL hovered above me for n
little time, az II striving to regain It's
balance, then It suddenly turned over.
Immediately the gas escaped out Of
the hole at the top OF the inverted bal
loon. and II began to descend. Slowly
II came at first, then faster and faster
as IL grew more empty.
sat in the trapeze watching II so
intently that l forgot about the cy-
clonic wind which was threatening
me. Down came the balloon I'm n zig
gag line. Would II strike me? For n
passed about twenty feet to the right
OF me, wriggllng and tapping, and at
that very moment the lightning flashed
terribly again, and such rattling and
rendlng thunder sound as followed
Lever heard since nor before. At that
time must have been 800 or 900 feet
above the ground.
Down, down went! The earth
seemed to be rush up toward me-the
little silver streams OF water, the
houses, barns. trees and ponds. The
only thing that was lessening in ap-
parent size was the balloon, which
rushed down almost directly beneath
and away from me. until suddenly It
began to behave strangely. Turning
and twisting II lay almost horizontal
for a moment. then bellled out and
few southwark.
The tornado had struck II. In nm
instant | understood this. The gale
was below me. whether above me or
not. In very few moments II must
strike the parachute, and felt that l
was little better than dead man.
Lightning streaked the hidden sky
again. and thunder ratified as If the
bolt had fallen near. and while l was
swinging myself up and putting my
feet on the trapeze bar, grasped with
my hands the iron hoop where ropes
are Joined together at the bottom OF
the parachute, and prepared To do my
best to keep right side up With cool
head and steady nerve. an aeronaut
can often save his life by quickly and
carefully working the ropes.
Puff! and off went my light silk cap.
The next instant the wind had seized
me. IL came with rain. IL struck the
parachute with such force that IL near
ly sent 1t over. Flying along toward
40 Il or no
opposite side from which the para
chNte was tipping, and put all my
weight on II. With lurch she nearly
righted, but only for an instant, and
then went over again. this time going
farther than before. Still / hung on
for dear life, hoping that my weight
would straighten us up In lull, but
the next instant the wind, striking the
canvas on the under side, sent us over.
Just how II happened. or what my
position was, l never knew. for I was
In confusion of ropes and ribs and
linen in an instant. My fright must
have craZed me for few minutes, al
though l still clung to the ropes.
The first thing can recall after that
was the sense that the wind had blown
the parachute nearly inside out, and
the sharp strain had snapped two or
three OF the cords. SO that now we
were confused mass OF canvas. rain.
ropes and man. all flying on tornado
at terrible rate. and l gasping FOR
breath; and always the earth was
coming nearer
/ imagined l saw my body after II
should strike the ground or mud. n
shapeless thing OF flesh and bones
The thought sickened me. and closed
my eyes 10 shut out the sight OF the
dim earth.
II Is amazing how rapidly a mans
brain will think I'm such moments
No sooner had closed my eyes than
saw the old homestead i'm Ohio. look.
ing exactly as II did the night left
IL, ten years ago. I saw n boy OF six
teen cautiously crawling out OF a sec
ond-story window on TO the porch. on
reaching the edge he easily slid down
one OF the corner posts and landed on
the ground. Here. slipping into his
shoes. he gave one last look at the
house and stole out into the shadows
AID darkness. Just what the next
scene wClld be cannot say. for I was
suddenly twisted in such n way that
nearly all my weight came ON one
rope. which instantly snapped and let
one OF my feet loose.
This reused me. seemed to co
down and onward faster than before.
IL such thing were possible. I looked
1 Io,..p onI oox. tho vronpI -. -.