The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-05
ENTHUSIASM
FOR SCIENCE
MINI By MAX ADELER. UW

In the air in what he claims to be the
cause of science, seems to regard the
most appalling accidents to himself,
and the most fearful destruction OF
Dther peoples property, with the
same kind of delight that an ordl-
nary man would feel when he has
fortune left to him. Professor Smart
Is that kind of an aerial navigator,
and he was telling me the other day
of delightful voyage he took a short
time ago in his balloon. He said:
We went up from Easton-Stone-
man, Bob Tarr and myself-and it
was the most magnificent trip l ever
took. Perfectly splendid! We got
her full about IL o'clock, and the
prowd held her down until we were
ready, and then I gave the word, and
they let go, and we went ADJOINING
Into the air. One man got caught IN
twist of the rope as she gave her
Hrst squirt upward. and it just
slammed him up against fence as II
he'd been shot out Of a howitzer.
Smashed in three or four Of his ribs,
I bolieve, and cracked his leg. REt
we went up Just beautiful about 1909
feet, and while we were looking at
The lovely scenery We ran into cloud
and I told Bob to throw over some
ballast. He heavcd out couple of
sandbags, and one OF them accident
ally fell on Major Dicks hired girl,
who was hanging clothes in the gar
len, and the other went sock into his
chimney and choked her II. He was
mad as the mischief about It when we
came down. No enthusiasm for
Science. Some men don't care a cent
whether the world progresses or not.
Well, sir, we shot up about 1000
feet more, and then Stoneman
dropped the lunchbasket overheard
by accident, and we went Up about
four miles. Stoneman got blne in the
face, Bob tainted, and I came near
being asphyxiated myself. A minute
more and we'd all "a been dead men,
but gave the valve Jerk, and We
came down a-whooping. When the
boys came to Bob said he was sick
and wanted to get out, and as We
were only little ways above ground
I threw out my grapnel. That min
ute breeze struck her, and she went
about ninety miles an hour over some
mans garden, and the grapnel caught
In his grape arbor, snatched it up,
and pretty soon got 1t tangled In the
tho Ponficf GhnrHh
stceplc. I cut the rope and left it
there, and I understood afterward
the deacons sued the owner because
he wouldn't come and take it down.
Raised an awful fuss, and sent the
sheriff after me. Trying to make
scientific investigation seems like a
crime, and me working like horse
all the time to unfold the phenomena
pf nature! If they "a loved knowl-
edge more than ignorance, they
wouldn't "a cared if I'd ripped their
bid steeple off and rammed her down
like an extinguisher on top Of some
factory chimney.
So when we deposited the grape
arbor we went up again a-kiting. and
Bob got sicker, and said he must gat
out, and rugged up another graple!
and threw it out. We were just over
} farm near the river, and, as the
wind was high, the grapnel tore
through two fences and broke them
PIP, snatched the roof off the barn,
ran against 4 sheep and ripped it in
half, and then, as nothing would hold
her, We swooped into the woods,
where we ran plump against tree.
The branches skinned Stoneman's
lace, nearly put out my left eye, and
Rocked four teeth out of Bob's mouth.
It was the most exciting voyage I
sver took in my life, and I was just
beginning to take an interest in it
lust getting warmed Up and prepar-
Ing to take meteorological observa-
lions, but Bob was so very anxious to
auit that didn't like to refuse, al
though hated to give up and aban-
ION my scientific Investigations.
So I threw out my coat and boots,
and made the other fellows do the
same, and wo rose above the trees,
Ind sailed along splendidly until we
struck the river, when she suddenly
lodged down, and the edge Of the car
caught in the water, and the wind
look her, and we went scudding along
like lightning, nearly drowned.
Btoneman was washed overheard,
however, and that lightened her SO
she went up again, and I was for
staying up, but Bob said he'd die if
be didn't get out soon, and, besides,
be thought we ought to look after
Stoneman. But I said Stoneman was
probably drowned anyhow, so there
D was no use in sacrificing our expert
ments for him, and I told Bob a man
Of his intelligence ought to be willing
to put up with something for the sake
Of science. And Bob said, as for
him, science be hanged; If 1 didn't
let him out he'd jump out. He was
sick, you i.low. The man was not
himself or he'd never "a talked that
way about a voyage that was so full
Of interest, and that was likely to re-
veal so many of the secrets of nature.
But, to oblige him, at last got her
down on the other side of the river,
and a farmer came up and held on to
the rope.
While We were talking to him, I
was just telling him that, as the gas
was coming out OF the neck Of the
balloon, maybe he'd better put out