The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-08
A COMEDY IN M1D-AtR.

A COMEDY IN MlD-AIR.
4 sailing on the wings of what was almost 3
- Hubert Latham last Monday piioed his
(lrnppiane high over the skyscrapers and pub
- buildings OF Baltimore.
MI His course had been accurately marked out
lkum the aviation field to and around the Sun"
bniking. and TO other portions Of the city. de-
xxned to give practically every one OF the more
fAan half million Baltimoreans an opportunity
. witness one of the most daring and spectacu-
IN demonstrations of a new art
I. FOR while the bird-iikc machine took regu-
roing on it's schedule like a ship with fair
hreezc.
But suddenly stif The city. ii COM
ln4nced to circle laziiy. like buzxard, it rose.
ma fell, and dipped, it mounted high into the
I'm and, descending. swept close above the pack
~ roofs. With no possible landing place avail
Ebfe under circumstances where accident would
80 only mean the loss of the prize for which he
~fnn Aying. but possibly the loss of life itself.
10 intrepid pilot of the air paused to give
afade ground.
kom q window of private residence ali in
looked out and in vivid action the
line Of which he had read. and photographs
IlIch he had seen Before his eyes the great
driven bird swooped and circled. and did
gtnnts'. Ross Winans the invalid, looked
1ooked. iured ont OF himself and his weary
~ invalidism by the yet strange and thrill
A1ghf Of human being emuating the eagle.
nam, In midair. giving private ex-
could not go ont Oh the rooftops. that
11 not stand in the street and watch his
n1oe. that could look only from the one lone
1ow OF the hopelcssIy sick
efoes the vision OF this shut-in one Latham
~ his machine and dallied for minutes be-
e eDing about the winning of his prize. And
Aundreds Of thousands with eyes fixed upon
IA the air knew why he paused, and why.
shove the city, he circed like a buzzard
Sw0Oped like wanton gull instead of 60
Ab0ut his business as homing pigeon
6A have done.
n imagine that many of these thousands
- thrilled by such sight that lump rose
tAetr threats as they imagined the comedy
MG enacted in space between a famous avia-
B % whom one misstep In his dance in air
~ b fatal. and the pale invalid at the win
4s gazing out upon the magnificent play en-.
o6 Tor his benefit that in hundreds of breasts
afirTed by this unique sight new feeling
Ympathy and OF brotherhood Up there in
Nv the sharp explosions OF the motor must
N4 doated down to the streets with some
80 Of the regular beat OF tender heart up
~ - the window. there must have come to
invalid shut of from life the comforting
80 ~ human goodness. The flight over Bal
ofc was triumph the aerial exhibition
= sermon
takes nothing from the edge of this story
the Invalid in the case was rich, and that
- offered prize OF $500 additional to the
MOI who, playing for the greater prize
DA deviate from his course to come across
Hire OF vision The bonus meant little either
ne Eiver or the recipient. But the act meant
81, --both to the man who added to an al
~ appalling risk to send silent message OF
M Aympathy to the prison of the sick room
IN the man shut in from life thus given an
gfMnfty to look abroad upon IL, and find il
- II meant much to the thousands who
eaStng one Of the most tender comedies over
ed, found in their own hearts the sweeten.
Balm which a good ptay--or a fine act-aL
ID gives to human lives. Hubert Latham
much for the invalid he did more for those
canght from his daring the impulse them.
IL to do for others.