The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-10
WHEN LOOPING THE LOOP.
There Is 9 Fierce Upward Rush Of Air,
Wild Grip at Ones Hat, and
the Shock.

The Loop the Loop was just across
t:le way, and the artist reminded me
that it was worth seeing, says Albert
Bigclow Paine, in Century.
"Of course we won't ride" he said.
tfbut it is worth while to see the Others
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 A load
ed car was at the brink of a long incline
Suddenly it shot down; then for an in
slant it was in the understanding
hanging. deseending-and straight away
up alothet incline, passing beyond our
view We declared strenuously against
tais appalling amusement. Another car
went around, and another, and another
We became silent in the sort of fascina-
ton that awaits impending disaster.
Finally / felt the thing fermenting in
my blood. Nobody seemed to be getting
hurt, and I should like to have the rec
ord of that trip. | expected the artist
to demur when / announced my inten-
ton, but he did not. Perhaps he was
hypnotized. We buttoned our coats, as
if starting On a cold voyage. 1 had an
impulse to leave some word for the folks
at home Then presently we were seat
ed in car, slowly ascending the pre-
paratory incline.
During this gradual ascent we had
plenty Of time to think found my
self wondering if people ever tainted in
making that swift revolution; also, if I
had heart disease and what would be
the consequences to one affected in that
way. Suddenly remembered that the
princess of the Nile had warned me
against any unnecessary risk of life It
seemed trivial thing at the moment,
but I realized now that her words
might have been fraught with a special
meaning. l stole a look at the artist
membering a similar warning These
contriyances always ended in some
frightful disaster, and doubtless this was
the trip for it to occur. The next day
our names would be in the headlines
reflected that we were probably as great
a pair of fools as walked the earth
The car had reached the level stretch
at the top now, and the brink was near
| recalled the starters injunctions to
keep my head up-probably to avoid los
ing it, as the result of a sudden jerk.
Lifting our eyes, we discovered that we
were On the verge. Heavenst had re
allied that the incline was steep, but THAT
why, that was drop! We were in
wheeled car, perched at the brow of a
preeipice, with a corkscreW revolution
at the end. Oh, to be for a single in
slant on solid ground. To be
A fierce upward rush of air, a wild
grip at the loosening hat, and an in
slant 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 curIs back
ward; we We're darti0g down to fneVita-
BILE annfhiIation!
I confess that my mind was confused.
I knew only that for what seemed an
eternal instant we were hanging in mid
air, that my head was far from being I'D.
that my body was swaying in Well-de-
fined centrifugal impulse to close up
like an accordion. Then all at once we
had dropped, and were shooting outward
dazed, weak and wondering at our safety.
AS for our heads, they were still on,
but almost in our laps. An unknown
man in the back seat announced that he
would not do it again for a thousand
dollars. The figures did not seem ex-
tragagant.