The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-22
Riding on the WIND.

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The vivid story of the first great ball
loon race, in the October McClure's,
produces a sympathetic exhilaration in
the reader Cleveland Moffett says:
THE race was fairly on. Sixteen bal
looms, a mile or two apart, were speed
ing down the Seine valley, and the
hearts of 80 brave fellows aboard were
full of hopes and jealous purposes. This,
indeed, was "a struggle worth making.
There was glory in it, for the eyes of
the world were on them: there was the
Gordon ennet cup-valued at 81, 500
to be won; there was also the Gaulois
cup for he most successful French
and the Gould cup for the
most successful British contestant;
there was a money prize of 81, 500 offer
ed by Mr.. Bennett to the winner; and
there was a share in the Tuileries gate
receipts. All this for the pilot who
should drive his balloon over the great
est distance from the starting point.
And there, straight ahead, was the
beating seal
THAT is the great trouble with a bal
months in advance, and make great
preparations, without any idea in which
direction the wind will take him. Thus
here were 80 men starting on a long n
up to the very hour of departure,
whether it would end in the sun-kissed
vineyards Of Italy or the frozen fields
of Russia, in the forests of Norway or
LIE Dle6k seas Ol hAlDlOU. IA1IlIIl, "
instance. carried a heavy %overcoat
which he never used and German mon
ey that he could not spend.
A they few along, the lieutenant
kept ever in mind his fathers caution
to hold the balloon low and straight;
he tried for this with all his skill, be-
ing aided, of course, by the night; for
it is the sun that chiefly disturbs a
balloons equilibrium. Night, however,
means darkness, and means
that q ha11nnniSt NAV lose his hearings.
but here, again, the lientenant's low
position was favorable, for as they
passed over the lights of town or viii
lage, their undred yard guide rope
they were within easy hailing distance,
and would shout down questions
through a speaking trumpet: What
town? What department? and then
Guilty was that France abounds in
places with names that sound very
much alike, especially to a hurrying
aeronaut!"
Too Much Compatibility.
Judge Bostwick, of Columbus, o., re-
Gently upheld a woman in her refusal to
tell her age on court.
Were the witness age pertinent, I
should require her to give it," he said;
but in this case, as in many cases, 1t
is not pertinent. and therefore in re-
fusing to state her age the lady is quite
within her rights"
Speaking of Judge Bostwick the other
day, a Columbus man said:
HE is a remarkable person. He
should have been a novelist. AS his
decision about age shows, he has a pc
culiar sympathy with the feminine
character. He understands it.
lone day 1 heard him talking about
He was discussing the incom-
patibility of temperament plea on which
so many divorces are granted. He said
compatibility was often a bad him
too. He said there was once a girl, who,
after listening to a young mans pro-
posal, answered:
emo, James, I cannot marry you
James looked frightened, hurt, dis
pleased.
why not?' he asked.
There is too much compatibility of
temperament about us. James, said the
girl, her lip curling with faint scorn.
Too much compatibility? But isn't
that a good thing?' asked the puzzled
young man.
stance Judging from the size of our
If we married 1 should undoubt-
edly insist from motives of
dispensing with a servant and doing my
own housework, and in your
ity you would undoubtedly let me do it,
Cruising on the Nile.
Our trip led us at last to a boat on
the waters of the Nile where we lived
three weeks of glowing luminous days,
while the hours passed even as the
sands of time. In leaving Cairo and
through the big bridge we
were surrounded by the most ethereal
boats 1 ever saw. and they were put
performance going or around US after
wards. We steamed ahead by day, not
so very fast for the channel is treach.