The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-02-09
Cupid on
The Air Line.
BY LITTELL M'CLUNG.
Copyrighted. 1903. by Associated
Literary Press.

1--WE DdllOOn lucy VIC I'LL uOtu tdAhAhS ~
much about. Bessie and Sam went NJ
In it yesterday, and they thought II
simply dandy"
The young man glanced ahead to
where a crowd surrounded some taut
guys that stretched up to big balloon
floating gracefully in the air 300 feet
over their heads.
A man stepped upon platform and
began to address his auditors In stem.
torian yet persuasive tones.
"All right, Lila, we'll see it 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 glorious
chance to see the world as bird sees
it! This balloon is as safe as trolley
car and safer. Experts say so.
at 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
nifcent scenery. Comet Who'll be the
next? The balloon holds only two at a
time. Tickets are 30 cents apiece, two
for a.
''Tll 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 wind
lass the balloon was towed back to
earth young man and girl STEP
ped out of the basket" smiling TIL
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 it just perfectly grandi'
cooed the girl, clapping her hands and
peering down at the upturned faces.
"Yes, it 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 of
in a semicircle and then stood motion
less, the basket swinging gently to
and fro. Suddenly Lila glimpsed a
thick cloud of dust whfrling spiral
fashion across the fair grounds.
"what is all that dust. Grant," she
asked innocently.
"Why, it's a whirlwind," he ex-
claimed, 'and q big one at that, and,
what's more, it's coming directly to-
ward us. If it strikes us we'll get a
lively little swing around in the air.
hope it doesr'
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 it dozen or more hats 1t
had gathered from the crowds.
In another second 1t hit the balloon,
whirling 1t around like bubble in a
hundred foot circle. Lila gave a little
shrek of fear, but Grant laughed.
Don't be nervous" he said. Were
getting a fine ride"
Then his face whitened as the sound
of swapping ropes struck his ears. He
glanced below to see uprooted pegs
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, it shot cloudward several hun
dred feet and, encountering upper
currents" foated 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 dam
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 a little"
But the wind continued strong, and
the balloon declined to descend an
inch. Neither did it rise. 1t simply
f1oated along rapidly, but steadily,
about six or seven hundred feet above
the ground. In five minutes the fair
Enclosure was fading in the distance,
ana 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 tour Of the
world. Just think how famous Wen be
II we discover the north pole"
This forced levity dispelled Lla'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-
try today. Maybe they won't hear Of
our aerial disappearance until we land
somewhere and start back. They'd be
frightened to death If they did"
Don't worry, Lila" he answered
feeling now that there really was very
little danger after all. "Just look out
over the country and let's enjoy the
trip. Maybe we won't have another
one like this soon.'
Their afrship was sailing beautifully
now, flying over orchards and farm
lands and throwing into state of In
tense excitement hundreds Of peaceful
country folk.
ut is simply heavenly" the girl sud
denly exclaimed. "I'm not bit afraid
now, Grant, and l don't care much
how hard we sail. I've always longed
for some exciting adventure, and sure
ly this is it, and you are with me. I'm
so glad it's your
"Why are you glad it's meY' he de-
manded, selling her hand and ignoring
the cries of the farm hands in the val
ley below.
"Oh, don't know exactly, just be-
cause-isn't that reason enough?" she
questioned, her eyes a-twinkle.
'Guess it is, dear girl" he replied,
and he might have, but at that second
the careless balloon careened sharply
to starboard, reminding him that be
must keep the ship trimmed" If he
ever expected to land safely.
They were now passing over a good
sized town, and hundreds Of people
were out in the streets gazing sky
ward. OF a sudden the wind died
away, and the balloon sank within
200 feet of the housetops. Then, with
out an instant's warning, there was a
violent tug at the basket, and its flight