The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-04
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid ON the Airline.
by Litteu McClung.l

they passed the exhibit or 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 1t 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 SEQ feet
over their heads.
A man stepped up on a platform and
began to address his auditors in stem
torian, yet persuasive. tones.
"All right, Lila, we'll see 1t through
tool" 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 a glorious
chance to see the world as a 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 magnificent
scenery. Come-who'H be the next?-
the balloon holds only two at time.
Tickets. are fifty cents apiece, two for
a-'
'Il 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 stopped down from the platform to
engineer the next ascension.
d
wheel device that resembled a windlass
the balloon was towed back to earth.
young man and girl stepped out or
the basket" smiling triumphantly, and
Lila and Grant stepped in. The wheel
to which the guide rope was attached
began to turn again and slowly the bal
loon rose above the fair grounds. When
the rope gave out the basket was high
enough for it's occupants to see the level
country for miles around.
t'Oh, isn't it just perfectly grand!'
cooed the girl, clapping her hands ana
peering down at the upturned faces.
Yes, 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 semicircle and then stood notion
less, the basket swinging gently to and
fro. Suddenly Lila glimpsed thick
cloud of dust whirling spiral-fashion
across the fair grounds.
what is all that dust, Grant?" she
asked innocently.
"Why, it's a whirlwindr' he exclaim-
ed land big one at thati And what's
more, it's coming directly toward us. If
it strikes us We'll get lively little
swing around in the air. hope 1t
doesY'
But the girl seemed apprehensive and
chung to his arm. Evidently his wish
was about to be realized, for the whirl-
wind, gathering momentum every sec
ond, was bearing straight down on the
guide ropes of the balloon, carrying
with it a dozen or more hats it had
gathered from the crowds.
In another second it hit the balloon,
whirling it around like a bubble in
hundred-foot circle. Lila gave a little
shrek of fear, but Grant laughed.
Don't be nervous" he said. were
getting a fine rider
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. Anoth-
er crack followed and the balloon tore
loose the last line that bound it to
earth.
For a second it paused, then, like a
rocket, it shot cloudward several hun
dred feet, and encountering upper
currents" fioated off across the fair
grounds.
over the girls face flashed an express
sion of terror, but by a superhuman
effort Grant kept calm. Below they
could hear the wild shouts of the people
who were running in the direction the
balloon had taken.
Keep your nerve, Lila" urged Grant
quietly. There is really no danger!
Don't you see the gas can't possibly get
out of the bag, and We'll begin to go
down when the wind slackens a ittlep'
But the wind continued strong and
the balloon declined to descend an inch
Neither did it rise. 1t simply foated
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, I'VE are perfectly safe
We've joined the first class aeronauts
and we're going on a tour of the world!
Just think how famous Wen be If we
discover the north pole!'
This forced levity dispelled Lila's ter
rified look, and gradually the color
came back into her face.
Pm glad of one thing" she said as
her courage returned; papa, mamma |
and all the folks are up in the country
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 |
we-wOn't have another one |
like this Soon!
Their airship was sailing beautifully |
now. flying over orchards and farm !.
lands and throwing into a state of in
country folk.
.'It is simply heavenly the girl sud
denly exclaimed. I'm not a bit frafd |
now, Grant, and don't care much how |
hard we sail. I've always longed for /
some exciting adventure. and surely
this is it-and you are with me! I'm SO
glad it's your
why are you glad it's me?" he de-
manded Selling her hand and ignoring
the cries of the farm hands in the val
lew below.
"Oh, don't know exactly, just be-
that reason enough?" she
questioned, her eyes a-twinkle.
Guess it is, dear GIRL he replied,
and he might have-but at that second
he careless balloon careened sh2rply
starboard, reminding him that he must
keep the ship trimmed" if he ever ex-
pected to land safely.
They were now passing over a good
sized town, and hundreds of people