Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-01-19

toward us 1t came. nor did il stop until
refined UP at the capitol. and when the
lookout returned he shouted as he few
up the lightning rod:
"Hurrahl The War is Overlp
wrote at once to Capt Russell. my
chief signal officer. and IN a few min
utes had received permission to ex.
pend one-half my stock of signal
rockets They were OF beautiful
colors, some OF them changing many
times as they hoated in mldheaven. !
arranged them in such order as to an
nounce the glad tidings which would
be of great joy 20 all people" The
Waterman would bring the rocket and
stand 1t in position on the edge of the
platform. while /. standing on the
dome, outside the circle OF safety. and
holding on with my right hand. would
reach through the railing and touch
OF the rocket with my left | would
then walk backward along the railing
beyond the reach of danger After
sputtering awhile the rocket. throwing
downward a tremendous shower of
sparks and smoke. would with a
mighty rush speed away for the stars.
We had spelled out the word
PEACE" when one OF the most
serious events OF my life occurred. II
seemed as If some demon Of war had
determined TO stop the proceedings
and some kind angel was at hand FOR
my deliverancc. The next rocket was
pause sieual to denote the end
OF a word. II sputtered and went out
or SO appeared. After some waiting
/ struck another match. walked care
tuily around the dome. and was put
ting my left hand through the railing
when. with no premonition whatever
II exploded with terrific force. casting
ITS hellish blast Of hot ciuders and
flame fun into my upturned face.
For the instant / forgot everything
only knew that the hot simeon was
sweeping around me. Iustincuyely J
loosened my hold and srrang back
into space. The next instant I fell
myself Keeling and falling. as e.
seemed 20 me then. half way down
the dome. In that terrible moment
fully realized my situation. I thought
of the great stones below me and how
1 would bound ufeless from them 20
the ground below.
/ had fortunately sprang back in the
same line that I approached the point
OF danger. My course was tangent 90
the circular stonework. and directly in
my line of retreat stood my old friend
the lightning rod. which by the light
or the ascending meteor / saw and
grasped. II was AN the work of an
instant. The Waterman caught me
and helped me over the railing. and
! threw myself breathless on the plat
form.
After this second escapade with the
dome / again took account of stock
Ny eyes were an right, but I was
minus two eyebrows. two sets OF eve
lashes. portion of my hair. and the
down ! then called whiskers. was
plus a face that more nearly resem-
bled a boiled lobster than human
countenauco. Worse than an for
boy like me. I was not prosentahle to
the fair daughters of Raleigh for sew
eral days.
When ! climbed back 90 the plat
form 7 had NO more idea OF continuing
The celebration than had OF flying
10 the moon. When ] saw. after about
three minutes. that my injuries were
all on the surface. determined 90
have 10 out and So it happened thar
after a pause not provided for I'm the
manual of signals" renewed my
armies of The west and The good peo-
PIE OF the old north state
Everything now worked smoothly.
Rocket after rocket SPED away Go the
zenith. I'm the silence that interviewed
could hear The opening az windows
below me, and gentle household voices
seemed To- say. Waterman. what of
the nighte" and ] knew that for them
my answer meant THE morning com.
eth" / thought I heard the distant
murmur OF the camps. rs though the
army was awakening from It's slumbcr
and each soldier was with whlsperings
OF JOY pointing his comrade 90 the
angel of peace lowering over them.
and ] know that one outpost of The
Army OF the Tennessee caught the ful
spirit of the vision. for. throwing the
fear of army regulations 20 the winds.
they sent up over dcld and forest a
shout such as the shepherds might
have uttered when over the palms of
Bethlehem they saw the angel con
voy OF the Prince Of Peace: while
those skilled in the cipher code" OF
freedom thrilled as they read in the
fiery heavens:
Peace on earth. good will to men. q"