The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1910-08-26
My Big Bird
II Flies Above Savaaes and
Fills Them With
Terror.
By 7. A. Mitchell.
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.
BY z. A. mitchell.

II Association. II
Having worked couple OF years ON
an Improvement for II flying machine,
keeping my models securely locked In
my barn that my devices might not
he stolen by other ncroplanc inventors,
aud having perfected them, l desired
to try them. Not having confidence
either IN my fellow inventors or tho
practicnbility Of patents ! determined
TO take my alrshlp to some uncxplorcd
country, nttnch my new machinery aud
make the necessary tests where, II
they were successful. ! nlone would
shipped on bOard vessel bound for
certain island In the Pacific ocean,
and inter n few weeks voyage landed
where might experiment Ia my
henrts content without frur OF losing
the benefit OF my Inventions
brought with me such modern con.
trivnuccs as might he useful To mo
md some that would enable me to con.
cillnle the natives among other things.
had u phonogrnph machine. toy
horoscopes, nm electric hand lamp, n
iicldrlass and some fireworks
lInNing ut my request been put
ashore ~ n point where there was no
humnn being to he seen. | spent the
first dry putting together the pnrts of
my ncrnplnne and cuuippng II. My
fuel oils, etc. placed under II pro-
Jeciing rock. storing also my belong.
ings. including mrnt ana drink That
night ! slept under the ledge men.
toned. and the next morning wheeling
my machine on to n dccllyily by which
] expected TO get my sinrt ! took my
sent. let 90. rolled down the incline
and began 10 rise
Having attained n height Of 1000
feet, devoted myself for II few hours
to my improvements Ia the exclusion
Of nll other surroundings mud lind tho
satisfaction 10 find TINT without OK.
cepti0n they worked beautifully. That
which | set most store by, II brake"
noted to n charm Perhaps such an
implement worked In so thin mcdi
um IA the mir mny not he considered
practicable In nny form. This IL not
30. produced nm attachment that
stopped my machine within four
lengths. Another matter Ind ut
tended TO was one for keeping the
machine on keel ! Ind observed tho
maintenance Of n fixed plane OF rcvO-
luton by the gyroscope and applied
the principle 10 my wings
One thing | did that no other nero
plane constructor has ever done. I
made II look Ike bird ! used
single plane on cnch side shaped Ike
CULTS wings. thus giving my machine
the semblnnce Of bird Fancy, then,
suggested paatcboard bcnk and thu
painting OF the whole In varied cOlors!
Having satisfied myself That my In
vcnti0nq were ench and every one II
success, | permitted myself TO look be
meath me. My eye at once struck lnrge
numbers OF the natives OF the island
running about In wild commotion By
those looking up at me ! could dlg
Germ the cause, Evidently the bird
monster was at the bottom OF their cx
element Some OF them were scam.
porlng away ms fast ms their legs
would carry them, Others were hiding
In caves mud under rocks. while some
were vigorously digging holes to bury
themselves In.
Thinking to TAKE others una wares. !
rose higher and sped over matter OF
twenty miles Seeing II number OF
natives nbout n fire. s0nring. ! witch
ed them, ! could see Tint some were
bound, while others were henping fuel
on the fire Feeling sure TINT can
nlbals were about to make n rcpast
upon human beings. drew near
enough for them to discover my pres
ence above them. They seemed to be
paralyzcd with nstOnishmcnt Sinking
to point nbout nifty feet above them.
! shouted 10 them to unbind their prls-
oners Not understanding my Ian
gunge. they were NIL the more fright
eDed ] seized my phonogrnph aud.
pointing the horn at them. turned on
the whoopa Of American Indinns.
Hearing such sounds from the ihroat
OF nm enormous bird seemed TO put
vigOr into their legs. and they ran In
every direction,
Descending. ! unbound the prisoners.
who ms soon MS their limbs we're loosed
dropped on their knees before me aud
buried their faces IN the dirt raised
several OF them. desiring 10 communi-
cate with them, and IN order to Invite
their confidence, gave them some
trinkets. Then ! took my phonogrnph
from my aerOplane and set II going
with darky song. One OF the ma
tiyes pointed to himself. then 10 the
phonograph, as much ms to say. "Thera
IL man In there" Going to the box.
he looked down the horn to see him,
then put his finger In, drawing 1t
quickly out to prevent It's being clutch.
ed Not seeing or feeling anything. he
looked at me and put his hand within
few inches OF the ground to denote
the height Of the pygmy supposed TO
be In the box
Having amused the simple creatures
for awhile with the phonogrnph. ] took
Up toy gyroscOpe and set the wheel
going This to them was far NOR"
wonderful than making man sling In
box. They could conceive OF mite
Of man being IN the box. but they
could not conceive OF wheel reVoly-
Ing with but one axis. supported at
any angle chose TO put 1t Every one
Of them dropped Oh their knees before
me. aud by the motion OF their lips |
knew they were worshlping me. !
tried to stop them. but. finding It I'm.
possible TO do no. | gave up the job
and. dragging my aeroplane to slope
favorable to getting u start, rose over
their heads and hew AWAY. Some Of
them gazed after Inc In wonder, while
u