The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-10-11

the the same moment / noticed a
movement In the lowering but vague
cloud to the north, and was struck
with fear that the storm was about
to burst forth.
/ almost concluded to drop then and
there, but was not more than 500 feet
from the earth, and the very same
fear Of being taken for a coward which
had sent me up now kept me ascend
ing At the same time the cool draft
of air was carrying me toward the for
est at no great speed.
But In few more seconds Of ascent
was out of that cool space and going
up through air which had not yet be-
gun to share in any degree the south
ward motion of the advancing storm.
Up went till had probably reached
1900 feet of altitude, my usual as
cent. Then the growing cloud in the
north lifted with wonderful speed till
it spread over the sky above me, and
bright lightning zigzagged down from
the zenith in two divergent streaks
In the SCATTERING thunder that fol-
lowed I pulled the cord of the para
chute and dropped.
was not frightened much. thought
it likely still had time to float down
before the coming Of the tornado, al
though thought 1t must be blowing
hard overhead The storm was, as it
were, a 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 slackened began, as usual,
to look out and up for the danger that
threatens parachute at every descent.
After the parachute is cut loose the
balloon, if unweighted, viii float for
miles out across the country before
finally Overturning and tumbling back
to the earth. When 1t has reached The
| ground, some one must take q trip to
bring it in with team and wagon.
This means a loss Of time and money,
to avoid which heavy weight it at
tached to the top of the balloon, and
this causes it to turn over soon after
it is free.
Now a balloon with this weight at
tached to it is a pretty heavy thing,
and if, in falling, it happens to miss
the parachute, all right! But if 1t hap
pens to crash down into the slow
falling umbrella, 1t is all over. Moth
ing but a miracle can save the men.
After l had parted company with
the balloon 1t lowered above me for a
little time, as if striving to regain Its
balance, then it suddenly turned over
Immediately the gas escaped out OF
the hole at the top of the inverted bal
loon, and 1t began to descend. Slowly
it came at first then faster and faster
as it grew more empty.
sat in the trapeze watching it sc
intently that 1 forgot about the cy
clonic wind which was threatening
me. Down came the balloon in a zig
gag line. Would it strike me? For {
few seconds l could not tell. Then i
passed about twenty feet to the RICH
of me, wriggllng and Tapping, and a
that very moment the lightning flashed
terribly again. and such a rafting anC
rending thunder sound as followed
Lever heard since nor before. At tina
time I must have been 800 or 900 fee
above the ground.
Down, down 1 vent The cart
seemed to be rush up toward meth
little silver streams of water TIL,
houses, barns, trees and ponds TIL
only thing that was lessening in ar
parent size was the balloon, whicl
. rushed down almost directly beneat
and away from me- until suddenly j
began to behave strangely. Turnin
and twisting, it lay almost horizonta
for a moment then bellied out an
, flew southwark
The tornado had struck it. In a
} instant / understood this. The gal
J was below me, whether above me Q
t not. In very few moments 1t mus
| strike the parachute, and / felt that
| was little better than a dead man.
$ Lightning streaked the hidden SIX
e again, and thunder ratified as If til
/ bolt had fallen near, and while I wa
: swinging myself up and putting m
feet on the trapeze bar, grasped wit
: my hands the iron hoop where rope
: are joined together at the bottom (
d the parachute, and prepared to do n
e best to keep right side up. With co.
I head and steady nerve, an aerOnal
a can often save his life by quickly az
a carefully working the ropes.
d Puff! and off went my light silk ca
, I Tho y,ox-f instant tbo ,r,fv,a l,o5 cole,