The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-03-11

nent, and so Scanl0n was D0und TO
impress or the man what he had
done.
The man whismpered and shranE
away from the aeronaut. The fight
was gone out of him; he dreaded the
upbraiding more than the kicking.
"What made you do it," demand
ed Scanion.
II thought don't know
A slight ripping sounded over their
heads. Scanion became electrified,
but to the unwelcome passenger 1t
meant nothing. Scanion glanced up.
His worst fears were confirmed.
One of the ropes fastening on the
sides of the balloon and supporting
the parachute had ripped down a few
inches and the gas and smoke were
pouring out. The bar rocked back
and forth again and the rent en-
larged. In a moment it might tear
larger and the two would GO rocking
swiftly downward.
The only chance for safety was for
one of them to go in the parachute
and self-presarvation is the first law
Of nature.
Don't rock the balloon" shouted
Scanion fiercely, although the man
was sitting quietly enough. The man
said nothing.
"Why don't you look down.
demanded Scanion with all the fierce
ness that fighting for ones own life
brings up in one.
The man watched Scanion humbly
moment and then turned his eyes
down. Wrapping his legs together,
Scanion lunged at the man and tore
madly st his fingers gripped around
the rope and the end OF the bar. 81.
iently the two fought, their breaths
comings quick and fast, their nails
bringing great gashes on each others
hands. The bar and the parachute
rocked to the struggle, but that alone
told the story of the struggle to the
birds. Finally Scanion got the mans
fingers loose from the rope, and In
one surge of strength pushed him of
backward. The other hand of the
man, gripped around the bar, un-
doubled, and without sound he
went whirling through the air, turn
ing grotesquely, his arms striking out
as if they expected to catch on some
thing.
Fascinated, Scanion could not keep
his eyes off the whirling body. SO
squarely under him was it that but
for the turnings it did not seem to be
moving. 1t seemed to be resting in
space. AS it got farther away it ceas-
ed to struggle, falling like dead
mass. A sparrowhawk darted TO-
ward it curiously, then turned away.
Then the body struck the ground
in a small pasture lot. The sound
which travels upward more easily
came to him with sickenil.g clearness.
1t seemed as though he was only a
few feet away. But look as he might,
Scanion could not see where the body
had struck. 1t seemed to have buried
itself in the ground.
His courage almost gone, Scanion
pulled the rope that severed the par
achute from the balloon and dropped
to the ground. When the people came
running up he was so weak that he
could scarcely stand alone. That ev-
ening he was arrested, and later
stood trial for the mans death, but
was acquitted on the ground of self
defense.
But it was Scanions last ascension.
He is now afraid as death Of bal
loon, and will scarcely lock at fly
Ing machine in the air. His nerves
are completely gone. and as he talks
he keeps moving his hands aimlessly
around over his lap and knees. He
makes his living during the summer
In small towns and during the win
ter in vaudeville by doing high div
ing.
TITS the nights that make me mis-
cradle, he said, buttoning and unbut-
toning his coat. Il can stand the
daytime pretty we'll, for there's peo-
pie around then. But the nights! I
always see something falling, falling
and waving it's hands"