The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1909-02-04
Cupid on
The Air Line.
By LiTTELL M'CLUNG.
CopyrightY 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

tOucf1nS the arm OF ner companion as
they passed the exhibit of vegetables
on the fair grounds. There's the cap
tive balloon they've all been talking so
much about. Bessie and Sam went up
In it yesterday, and they thought it
simply dandy"
The young man glanced ahead to
where a crowd surrounded some taut
guys that stretched up to a big balloon
floating gracefully In the air 800 feet
over their heads.
A man stepped upon a platform and
began to address his auditors in stem
torian yet persuasive tones.
"All right. Lila, we'll see 1t through,
too" declared Grant Allen, and they
hurried up close to the speaker.
This way. ladies' and gentlemen"
he cried. Who'll be the next to go up
in the big gas bag? Here's q glorious
chance to see the world as bird sees
1t! This balloon is as safe as trolley
car and safer. Experts say so.
ut is fastened securely to the earth,
ladies' and gentlemen, and stays up ten
minutes with each ascension, giving
you plenty of time to enjoy the mag
nificent scenery. Come! Who'll be the
next? The balloon holdS>only two at a
time. Tickets are so cents apiece. two
for a.
"Ill take two tickets for the next
trip" said Grant, pushing forward
with the necessary dollar in his hand.
The man handed him the coupons to
fame and stepped down from the plat
form to engineer the next ascension.
BY turning sort of handle and
wheel device that resembled a wind
lass the balloon was towed back to
earth. A young man and a girl STEP
ped out of the basket" smiling tri-
umphantly, and Lila and Grant STEP
ped in. The wheel to which the guide
rope was attached began to turn again.
and slowly the balloon rose above the
fair grounds. When the rope gave out
the basket was high enough for its oc-
cupants to see the level country for
miles around.
"Oh, isn't 1t just perfectly grand!'
cooed the girl, clapping her hands and
peefing down at the upturned faces.
Eyes. 1t really Is" he answered. You
feel apart from the world and above
everything in more senses than one.
No wonder aeronautics are almost cpl
demic."
The great bag above them swung off
In a semicircle~and then stood motion
less, the basket swinging gently to
and fro. Suddenly Lila glimpsed a
thick cloud of dust whirling spiral
fashion across the fair grounds.
what is all that dust, Grant," she
asked innocently.
"Why. it's whirlwind," he ex-
claimed, land big one at that, and,
what's more, It's coming directly to-
ward us. If 1t strikes us We'll get a
lively little swing around in the air
hope 1t does"
But the girl seemed apprehensive
and chung to his arm. Evidently his
wish was about to be realized. for the
whirlwind, gathering momentum ev-
cry second. was bearing straight down
on the guide ropes of the balloon. car
rying with 1t dozen or more hats 1t
In another second it hit the balloon,
whirling 1t around like a bubble in a
hundred foot circle. Lila gave little
Shrek of fear, but Grant laughed.
Don't be nervous" he said. Were
getting fine ride"
Then his face whitened as the sound
of swapping ropes struck his ears. He
xlav boil b. tod
and stakes flying into the air. An
other crack followed. and the balloon
tore loose the last line that bound 1t to
earth
For a second it paused; then, like a
rocket, II shot cloudward several hun
bred feet and, encountering upper
currents" fioated off across the fair
grounds.
Over the girls face flashed an ex-
preston of terror. but by superhu-
man effort Grant kept calm. Below
they could hear the wild shouts Of the
people who were running In the direc-
ton the balloon had taken.
keep your nerve. Lila" urged
Grant quietly. There is really no dan
ger. Don't you see the gas can't pos
sibly get out Of the bag, and we'll be-
gin to go down when the wind slack
ems q little"
But the wind continued strong, and
the balloon declined to descend an
inch Neither did it rises> 1t simply
fioated along rapidly, but steadily
about six or seven hundred feet above
the ground. In five minutes the fair
Enclosure was fading in the distance,
and in another five minutes so was the
town.
Don't you see, Lila" said Grant,
with assurance, 1--WE are perfectly safe
We've Joined the first class aeronauts,
and we're going on a tour of the
world. Just think how famous well bt
If we discover the north pole"
This forced levity dispelled Lila's
terrified look, and gradually the color
came back into her face.
I'm glad of one thing" she said as
her courage returned. Papa, mamma
and all the folks are up in the coun-
49, kodov Aovho fbou ruop,t baor NJ