The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-09-18

-
4 Yes, W. az. Hubbard s. st u
Estaring intently down, his hand s 81 4he
valve rope. BY George! W si,rll dn 81
have believed i'll! We've :struck Il CIR ~,
rent that's going to carry u right
II smack over the fair grounds. .z.lE,. y.
4 It was true. the race track, crowd.
i booths and stalls, were almost directly
below them, and lay in their line of
4 advance. Hubbard began to descend.
Il The shouting of the crowd could now
be heard, the crowd itself was visible,
and disentangled itself, into individu-
/ ais, like ants running about an ant
1 heap: ..;.f%> <.,:4 2t,,*.azf s;s.4sg J. e
/ Hester. chung in silence to herIlover's
arm. She was dressed in all the finery
j a mountain belle could command: for
she had expected to go to the scelebra-
! ton at Garyville- indeed, she was go
1 ing to it now, and to her own wedding
4 as well. 'You reckon FANS down
there:" she inquired finally, looking at
! the ant hill and the ants. 1t was very
| difficult to be afraid of a brother at
such long range, and when your unin-
terrupted view was permitted to re-
duce him to such contemplate dimen-
sions
| The balloon, however, was now so
much lower that people began to look
1 like people, though strangely FORE
shortened and distorted. Hester, Mace
and Brother Pusey gazed fascinated,
and no wonder; for, from this height,
a man directly below presented him.
self as a hat moving along upon the
ground, from which were thrust pair
of feet, and beside which two short
arms waggled.
Hubbard undid a package of hand
bills, and all four Joined in throwing
them out. The aeronaut, knowing
nothing of mountain people and noun
tain ways, failed to appreciate the dan
ger in which not only his passengers
but his beloved balloon might be from
Bushares' rifle. The Reverend Zeb,
however, touched his sleeve, caution
ing, Better not git down too close.
Fain Bushares is a good shot; but the
way this here thing wobbles, he's
mighty apt to miss Mace an hit you
or me-
"How far will a rifle ball carry?"
Hubbard inquired in some alarm.
II sh'd think he mought hit a man
at 600 or 500 yards; but this old bal
loon is a far mark-looks like he
mought hit it's fairs cd see it. That
OF Winchester O. his n II kerry a
plump mile"
II don't want the Bird o. Paradise
shot into, of course" Hubbard said,
"but rife ball wouldn't make hole
enough to do us much damage. I'll
keep 300 or 400 feet above the crowd;
but I ort to get where can >holler to
'em, and tell 'em that the marryin' is
gofn' on. I'll go down close first
won't do any harm till the man recog-
ntzes you folks-maybe he amt there
anyhow"
They could hear the popping of fire.
crackers now, the band playing away
for dear life, and the hoarse, delighted
shouts of the people below them. AS
the last handful went over the edge of
the car Hubbard took out the big tin
horn Of the spieler.
1.-THE wedding is now taking place"
he roared, $1,000 feet in a-a-air!" This
latter was simply rhetorical flour
| ish, but it pleased the crowd. which
roared again.
Join your right hands," Hubbard
prompted :irritably, turning from his
horn. Stand up before the preacher,
and join your right hands,
Nothing loath, the young people did
so. During the arrangement of the
wedding scene the balloon had de-
scended perilously close to the settle
ment. Suddenly the bride-it is al
ways the woman who has her wits
about her at such times-saw a man
run a little away from those about
him, pick up a-rifle and bring it to his
shoulder. Its Fain," she cried. Hes
saw us and knows us. Oh, please
Mr.. Balloon man, make it go up quick"
The frightened Hubbard heaved
overheard most of his sand; and Sc
close was he above the heads of the
gaping crowd that the sand descended
upon them In cloud. The balloon
shot upward, leaving choking, sput-
ter1ng group below-and it was nearly
a thousand feet in air. that Mace Tai
lent and Hester Bushares were mar
ried.
They could see other atomies run to
Fain and disarm him; before they got
too far away they could even hear the
laughter with which this, unexpected
turn was received.
Hubbard radiated satisfaction. "ITl
bet that's the most successful ascent I
ever made" he remarked. II never
seen a crowd so tickled."
"You could drap US wherever you
choose now" the happy bridegroom
suggested. "The boys has got a-hold
OF Fain. an we're all right"
Il reckon" unused the Reverend