Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-09-05
Just Supposin8.
Nv CHARLES BATTELL LOOMS.


There is very little doubt that the
airship Is an accomplished fact.
What boots a year or two when time
is flying as swiftly as it does nova.
days?
But has anyone considered the
new dangers that will follow in the
wake of the new machines? Does
anyone imagine that life for him will
be the old, carefree existence that 1t
has been for most Of us; that when
the air is filled with iron and steel
and wood, man will go his way, un-
needing upper ether as of old?
Of course, in the very nature OF
things, the first to equip themselves
with aerial racers will Go the reck-
less devils who now run gasolene jug.
gernauts on our highways.
Is it not easy to imagine what
thoy will do when they got up in
the air? VIII life on the surface of
the earth have any semblance OF
safety while white eagles" and red
hawks" are carcering in upper air,
spilling out tools, and now and then
an occupant?
In these pleasant days. II man is
walking about New York all he has
to think of are the trolleys, the mo-
tor cycles, the ordinary wheels, the
automobiles, the dear old horse cars
and the other horse drawn vehicles,
Including the fire engines and the am
balances. If he is alert and spry his
chance of life is as good as that of a
soldier in a secondary skirmish. His
adversaries are all on the level, SO to
speak, and he can see what is coming
without raisinc his eyes to heaven. a
thing that mankind fell out of the
habit of doing ages ago.
But with the upper air full o:
ships, and the ships full Of people,
and many of the people full of the
intoxication born of free life in the
void, why, l would not write any pc.
destrian's insurance without charg.
ing prohibitive premium.
Let us suppose two irresponsiblcs
In an airship.
Hand me that wrench, Bill,
There's something the matter With
this nut, and l want to take it off,
Look out! Gee! you just missed hit.
ting that chimney. Can't you steer?
Oh, you careless idiot! What did
you drop that wrench for? 1t struck
the north light in that studio build.
ing. Let's get away, quick. I'll bet
that you've killed the artist at work
to say nothing of losing the only
wrench we have. Hello. did you see
that? An old chap fell out of that
pink machine, and I'm blamed If he
didn't grab the spire of Grace
Church, and there he is!
Shall we rescue him."
"Rescue nothing. What's the mat.
ter with his own people doing it?'
We'll, I'm going down after that
wrench. l don't see any commotion
around that studio building. Guess
we didn't kill any one"
The airship turns, goes back, drops
until 1t is about five feet above the
ground-glass north light, and then
the man who dropped the wrench,
making a cone of his hands, calls
out:
Say, you artist below there, did
you hear anything drop?'
A moment: later skylight is
opened, and an excited man in blue
blouse makes his appearance.
Did you drop that wrench?"
Yes, awfully sorry. Did you hnd
it,"
II came near finding it on my
head, and If you were in a balloon,
instead of an airship, I'd put you out
of commission. Confound you all!
Life isn't worth living since you left
the highways"
Lets have the wrench, that's a
good fellow.'-The Century.