The Elbert County tribune., 1908-11-19


when Pa told the boss. who was one
of the Hagenbachs managers, about
his airship and what a dandy thing it
would be TO sail around where the
lions and tigers live In the jungle,
and lasso them. from up in the air,
out of danger. he engaged Pa and me
to go along. and guess we will know
all about Africa pretty soon.
The next day we went out to the
club where Pa keeps his airship, with
the boss of the Hagenbach's outfit
and cowboy that used to be with
Pas circus, to practice lassoing things.
They got out the machine and Pa
steered il, and the boss and | we're
passengers, and the cowboy was on
the railing in front with his lariat
rope. and we sailed along about SO
feet high over the farms, until we saw
big goat. The cowboy motioned for
Pa to steer towards the goat, and
when we got near enough the cowboy
threw the rope over the goats horns
and frightened II up, and Mr.. Goat
came right along with us, bleating and
fighting. We led the goat about half
mile over some fences, and finally
came down to the ground to examine
our catch, and we landed all right,
and Hagenbachs boss said 1t was the
greatest scheme that ever was for
catching wild animals, and he doubled
Pas salary, and said we would pack
up the next day and go to the Ha-
genbach farm in Germany and take
steamer for South Africa in week.
They were talking 1t over, and the
cowboy had released the goat when
that animal made charge with his
head on our party. He struck Pa be-
low the belt, butted the boss in the
trousers until he laid down and
begged for mercy stabbed the cowboy
with his horns, and then made hop,
skip and jump for the gas bag. burst a
hole in it. and when the gas began
to escape the goats horns got caught
in the gas bag and the goat died from
the effects of the gas. and we were all
glad until about so peasant women
came across the fields with agricultur-
al implements. and were going to kill
us all
Pa said We'll. what do you know
about that?" but the women were
fierce and wanted blood The boss
could talk French and he offered to
give them the goat to settle it. but
they said 1t was their goat anyway,
and they wanted blood or damages.
Pa said it was easier. to give dam
ages than blood, and just as they were
going to cut up the gas bag the boss
settled with them for about 500. and
hired them to haul the airship to the
nearest station, and we shipped It to
Berlin, and got ready to follow the
next day.
Pa says we will have a high old
time in Africa. He says he wants
to ride up to lions den in his air
ship and dare the fiercest lion to come
out and fight. and that he wouldn't
like any better fun than to ride over
royal Bengal tiger in the jungle,
and reach down and grab his tail and
make him snarl like tom cat on a
fence in the alley.
He talks about riding down herd
of elephants. and picking out the big
gest ones and roping them; and the
way Pa is going to scare rhinoceroses
and hippopotamuses and make them
bleat like calves is wonder.
l think Pa is the bravest man ever
saw. when he tells it. but / noticed
when he had that goat by the horns
and he was caught in barbed wire
fence. SO the airship had to slow down
until he came loose, Pa turned as pale
as sheet. and when the goat bucked
him in the stomach Pas lips moved
as though he was praying. Well. any
way. this trip to Africa to catch wild
animals is going to show what kind
OF sand there is in all OF us.