Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-09-23

Am ! a man on human plan
Devised. or am | not. Matilda?
"And echo. If there were any place
TO echo from. would answer. Not Ma
tildar Have some of the milk while
the Virginia chases her tail above Mr..
PinchOt's forest"
"She doesn't chase her tail much"
replied Carson. ''sn far. M least"
She did not The horoscopes held
her Oh an even keel. and the altimeter
statosrnpe delivered the verdict that
the Nir=ilIm was following Il course az
level rs n battleship's Carson ate.
watched the triumphant test and for
got 10 fruwu. and lie little knew to-
ward what danger he was hurting him
self
Peak after peak. village after village
and occasionally hig smokeiess town
about The national power plants OF the
Leighton reservoirs came hurrying to-
ward them. PASSED beneath like vi.
siOns aud fell behind.
"Spr HAT big stratus clOudT' asked
Carson. "Shali we 20 over or under
it,"
"I'prsnIally." replied Craighead, 'T've
been under cloud long enough"
The stratus was an immense vapor
sheet half II mile above the earth. Un-
derntath were the gloom and duliness
of cloudy weather. but above 1t the
sun shone with brightness augment.
ed by the brlIiancy reelected from the
upper surface OF the cloud as from
great glittcring plain of snow. The
sun was past the meridian and shining
warm. but on the wing over that
great ex,mnse Of pearl the air felt. not
cold, bui caller" and they put on
their toIcoats. The shadow Of the
Virginia ran with her across the cloud
like hIack bat haloed In the un-
sppakabp glory Of triple rainbow
which ringed the scudding shadow
about I'm cOncentric circles. so bright,
SO refulgent In dye. so glorious In their
mngling lines. that the voyagers.
CHANGING from radiance to radiance
lowered their voices to the thrill OF a
beauty too intense for speech.
The immense engines were moving
more regularly than clockwOrk. keep
ing the pledge Of their makers that If
supplied with fuel and oil they would
run without a single stop until worn
out - the perfection Of the internal
combustion engine. once so untrust-
worthy.
81 want to see where we are" finally
said Carson This Is like an open
ocean. want to compare the map
with the landscape"
Oledient 10 the tilted rudders. the
Virginia pointed her prov downward.
Her propeller blades hurled her swift
ly forward and toward the earth. and
she plunged into the cold stream OF
the stratus cloud into mist and white
scarfs Of lacy fog and the snowy OBJ.
security of IN aerial blizzard. Craig
head gasped at the chill and the blind
ness
ring for a guide" said he. "Pm
lost"
He was not lost for long. for the Vir-
ginia Glove the feecy hoOdwink and
emerged through its lower levels into
the clear shadows Of the neither air.
They could teel the warmth radiated
from the ground. balmy with earthly
scents. Far to the northeast lay q
shining river. widening at the limit of
vision into broad estuary. and just
within sight could be discerned the
clustered spires and towers of city
Carson looked the landscape over and
studied his rap.
"Craighead." cried Carson, we've
made Richmond three hours quicker
than ! thought 1t possible. A stOrk or
a Canada goose couldn't have covered
the distance, and both sometimes go
200 miles an hour! Why
"Let us exult over yon insufferable
plutesr cried Craighead. Lets fly
rings around 'em Let's sail circles
around the snobs!"
Craighead. scanning the southeast
with his fieldglasses. had discovered
at q distance Of six or seven miles a
huge silver aerOnat steering north.
ward. Theodore threw over the tiller
and made for the airship Craighead
looked at him In wonder.
''That ship looks" said Carson, ad'
RANGING the spark and crOwding the
engines. like the Roc"
After a few moments on straight
course to intersect that of the aerOnat
Carson threw the Virginia up into the
cloud Soon they emerged on the shin
ing upper levels Of the cloud. which hid
their approach " the other craft. One
below the curtain and one above 1t.
the airship of the future and the air
ship of the past few on converging
courses. They dropped below the
cloud into the thinner vapOr. They
looked about-and saw nothing. And
yet, above the purring of the machin-
cry, came to their ears the tremOr
from powerful engines. Could the
Condor have assembled into the cloud
as they descended from It? Voices
came closer and closer.
MY God. CarSon! snOuteu craig
head. you're going foul OF her.
Look down.
Just in time Carson looked. From
the depths of air below the great bub-
Bile of silver rose, swelling in her swift
approach. A collision meant ruin.
The propelling blades of the aeronef
would cut the envelope of the gas hold
er like paper, and the two ships In
huge mass Of tangled wreckage would
fall to the earth In death and ruin, or
the escaping gas from the aeronet, ig-
nited from the exhaust Of the Vir-
ginla's engines, might explode. hurting
tho fra pmanta of both vessels far and |