The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-08
BALLOONING.

The Cost and the Fascination OF This
Aerial sport.
have often been asked how balloon
ing compared with other sports both in
cost and in enjoyment. The first cost
to those who wish to soar above the
clouds is smaller than in automobiling,
but each ascension costs some $500. A
flight may last less than an hour or it
may continue the better part of day.
The tendency is toward flights of
longer duration, as invention helps the
aeronaut, and with the multiplication
Of it's devOtces, particularly among the
amateurs, the records will become
longer both in hours and miles.
When one leaves the earth the i'm
pressions come so fast that one can
hardly differentiate them. They pro-
duce Kaleidoscope effect. A man
must stop and concentrate his mind on
certain special sensations, or else on
returning to earth he will find that he
has no sensation in particular to tell
about.
There is the impression Of the crowd
Of people shouting and waving their
bands. Before you realize it they have
vanished as individuals. The earth
sinks f-om you, the houses become
tiny boxes, and large rivers appear
brooks that you could easily jump
across.
The lakes are pools, and marsh land
seems solid. This latter was the cause
of my friend Nocquet's landing where
he did and sacrificing his life. Forests
become smooth like pasture land. Rail-
road trains are like crawling worms
and all the earth sounds eventually
cease.
At 1000 or 1000 feet you pass the
dust line, which Is as clearly marked
as the line between water and air. AS
high as 1900 feet there are still fire.
quently seen butterflies, mosquitoes
and other insects. Remarkably beauti
full effects of clouds are seen from the
balloon, especially when the sun shines
on them. They often seem like snow
banks, and their edges are always
blush, like water. and ever give the
aeronaut the sensation of approaching
the ocean.
When in the clouds you can see only
the basket and its occupants, and you
may suddenly pass out of them to find
that you are driving straight into a
mountain peak, as we did once. If
you stay In the fog there is nothing to
yarn you of such a danger except the
roaring of the wind In the treetops
and quick casting out of ballast may
be necessary to save you from balloon
wreck on the craSS.-Dr. Julian 2.
Thomas In Appleton's.
The Origin of Mr.. and Mrs.
In earlier times the ordinary man
was simply William or John-that is to
say. he had only a Christian name
without any kind of handle before it
or surname after it. Some means of
distinguishing one John or William
from another John or William became
necessary. Mechanics derived from a
mans trade or his dwelling place or
from some personal popularity were
tackled on to his Christian name, and
plain John became John Smith. As
yet there We're no .'miSters' in the
land. Some John Smith accumulated
more wealth than the bulk of his fell
lows-became perhaps a landed pro
prietor or an employer Of hired labor.
Then he began to be called in the Nor
man-French of the day the ''maistre'
of this place or that, of these work
men or of those. In the time the
"maiStre." or .'maister," as ii soon be-
came got tackled on before his name.
and he became Master Smith and his
wife was MaistreSs Smith Gradually
the sense of possession was lost sight
of. and the title was conferred upon
any kindly mere possession OF wealth
or holding some position of more or
less consideration and importance.