Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-26

was easy. taking US to the east at thirty
miles an hour. Indeed, we were hoping to
come down IN Germany. when about two
hours after the start the current changed
and took US south-southeast. Little By 1T
tie Its force diminished-'
What shame!"
And at am we found ourselves above
the River Loire, between Orleans and Blois
standing still, In a complete caiml Just
my luck! l still had 275 pounds Of ballast
and was good for hours yetr'
suppose you stayed patiently and whis-
tied Tor a wind?" inquired Mademoiselle
de Salignac-Fenelon. sympa hetically
es. but at the end of an hours waiting
we saw big thunder storm breaking ia
the distance"
'of course, you descended to earth at
once! exclaimed the Vicomtesse Leon dc
jane. another OF those alert modern young
frenchwomen who look like americans.
calmly
"Why?' / yentured to ssr b.,,a ,.,,.
rant.
because It is well-known fact that
spherical balloons are always drawn into
the vortex Of thunder storms even Though
.ney pe thifty or forty miles distant And
once drawn into the midst OF the plav of
electric forces 1t Is impossible to get them
out. ana one risks the gravest dangers I
pulled the maneuver valve rope and wa
came down on the Sologne plain. not far
Lio'e' SicSe 10 the line OF local rail-
way" 800
why did she pull the valve roper" I
asked.
Everybody Knew.
ITO let out some of the balloons res
That made the whole system less light. or
more heavy so that It would gently descend
TO EARTH some one kindly Informed me
L had still 200 pounds of ballast" COM
planned the young duchess
But ballast is sand 1t is heavy don,4
see how that could help YOU" exclaimed A
very young girl. who had been silent
Everybody laughed joyously. Everybody
feit superior. because everybody knew
This Is the way we 60 ballooning." ex-
Planned slender, sharp featured and pre.
else grande dame. whose name I did NOT
ca'ch- The balloon has such and such q
gas capacity. That makes it SO very much
hghter than the atmosphere that IL NOT
weighed down 1t would fly off and away
miles nigh The weight of the passengers
their instruments and provisions counts
for so much. Then, for the rest. the bal
loon is weighed or balanced with sand
ballast, several hundred pounds In fact
1T is loaded up with ballast until It Is lust
htue lighter than the air. So when It 10
let go 1t rises gently"
Il understand that" said the tenderroot
girl. i0''
But when the balloon has risen some
distance above the earth the pressure OF
the atmosphere grows less. and as the hy.
drogen gas In the balloon always wants to
expand 1t now gets a chance to do So En-.
pandlng, some of 1t must escape through
the hole at the lower end of the balloon
winch ls always open. AS long as the "a.
naming mass of gas continues dtlated
all goes well. but soon as a change OF
temperature condenses 1t again. you sea,
there is less gas in the balloon. and va
pes1n descending. Then comes the moment
TO throw out ballast, which makes the bal
loon lighter, so that It rise again"
II you campare the balloon to the horse
the gas valve is the bit to hold him In and
the ballast is the spur to send him on
"ard, observed the young duchess.
All OF which astonsheu me extremely
AN AMERICAN GIRL IN PARIS