Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-09-17
LOOPING THE LOOP.
Fierce ps"ard Rush of Air and
Then the shock.

A Etercc pHaru huSh ot Ar unu
Then the shock.
The "loo,, The loop was just across
the way. ard the artist reminded me
that il WA; Srth seeing. says Albert
Bi.clow Paine in the Century.
"Of course we won: ride" he said.
but it's worth While To see the 9th
ers.''
We entered the Enclosure and gazed
up at the pair of great steel loops
around which cars are carried by the
force of their own momentum. \ load.
ed car was at the brink of long in
cline. Suddenly il shot down; then
for an instan. it was In the circle
ascending. hanging. dcscending-an
straight away up another incline. pass
ing beyond our view. We declared
strcnuously against this appalling
amusement. another car went around.
and another. and another. We became
silent in the sort of fascination that
awaits impending disaster.
Finally felt the thing fermenting in
my blood. Nobody seemed to be get
ting hurt. and | should like to have the
record of that trip. expected the
artist to demur when l announced my
intention. but he did not. Perhaps he
was hypnotiZcd. We buttoned our
coats. as if starting on cold voyage.
had an impulse 10 leave some word
for the folks ut home. Then presently
we were seated in IL ear. slowly ascend
ing the preparatory incline.
During this gradual ascent we had
plenty of time to think. l found my
self wondering if people ever tainted In
making that swift revolutions: also If !
had heart disease and what would be
the consequences TO one affected in that
way. Suddegly | remembered that the
princess of the Nile had warned me
against any unnecessary risk of life. 1t
seemed trivial thing ut the moment.
but realized now that her words might
have been frauslIt with special mean
ing l stole a look ut the artist. He
seemed pale and distract. perhaps re-
membering Il similar warming. These
frightful disaster and doubtless this
was the trip for it To occur. The next
day our nan.cs would be in the head
lines. l reflected that we were proba-
bly, as great a pair of fools as walked
the earth.
The car had reached the level stretch
ut the top now. and the brink was near.
I recalled the starters iniunctions TO
keep my head up-probably TO avoid
losing il as the result of Il sudden jerk.
Lifting our eyes. we discovered that we
were on the verge. Heavens. | had
realized that the incline was steep. but
;hat-why. that was drop. We were
in wheeled car. perched ut the brow
of n preclpice. with corkscrew rev.
olution at the end. oh, TO be for sim
gle instant on sOliu ground, TO be
A fierce upward rush of air. wild
grip ut Il loosening hat and an instant
later the shock. We were on the loop;
we were shooting upward as a billow
that breaks against the cliff: we Were
curling over as the wave curls back
ward; we We're darling down to inevita
BILE humiliation.
confess that my mind was confused
l knew only that for what seemed an
eternal instant we We're hanging In mid.
air, that my head was far from being
up, that my body was swaying in well
defined centrifugal impulse to close up
like an accordion. Then all mt once we
had dropped and We're shooting out
ward. daZcd. weak and wondering at
our safety. AS for our heads they were
still on. but almost in our laps. An I'M
known man in the back seat announced
that lie would not do it again for a
thousand dollars. The figures did not
seem eXtravagant.