Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-12-15

In the long line of gray, round backed
airships marked the position from
which the Vaterland had come Be-
side 1T second monster now rose soft
ly, released from it's bonds and cables,
into the air. Then, king beautifully
exact distance, a third ascended, and
then a fourth.
TOO late, Mr.. Butteridgew the
young man remarked. We're off! |
dare say it is bit of shock to you,
but there you are! The prince said
you'd have to come"
Look ere" said Bert. 81 really am
dazed. What's this thing? Where are
we going?'
This, Mr.. Butteridge," said the
young man, taking pains to be explicit,
''is an airship. It's the flagship of
Prince Karl Albert. This is the German
air fleet, and it is going over to Amer
lea to give that spirited people what
for The only thing we were at all un-
easy about was your invention. And
here you are.'
"But-you a German?" asked Bert.
Lieutenant Kurt - Luft-lieutenant
Kurt, at your service"
But you speak English.'
Mother was English-went to school
in England; afterward Rhodes scholar
German none the less for that De
tailed for the present, Mr.. Butteridge,
to look after you. You're shaken by
your fall. It's all right really. They're
going to buy your machine and every
thing. You sit down and take it quite
calmly. You'll soon get the hang of
the position"
Bert sat down on the locker, collect
ing his mind, and the young man
talked to him about the airshp.
Here is the bed" he said, whipping
down couch from the wall and
throwing it back again with a click.
Here are toilet things" and he open
ed neatly arranged cupboard. Not
much washing. No water we've got;
no water at all except for drinking.
Here's a folding chair and table behind
the door. Compact, eh?"
He took the chair and balanced it on
his little finger. pretty light, eh
Aluminium and magnesium alloy and
a vacuum inside. All these cushions
stuffed with hydrogen Foxy! The
whole ships like that. And not man
in the fleet except the prince and one
or two others, over eleven stone. Could
not sweat the prince, you know. Wei
go all over the thing tomorrow. I'm
frightfully keen on it,
He beamed at Bert. "You do look
young" he remarked. Il always
thought you'd be an old man with a
beard-a sort of philosopher. dom,
know why one should expect clever
people always to be old. do
Bert parried that compliment little
awkwardly, and then the lieutenant
was struck with the riddle why Herr
Butteridge had not come in his owl
flying machine.
Its long story said Bert. "Lool
lend me pair Of slippers or some
thing. I'm regular. sick of these san
dals. They're rotten things. I've beer
trying them for a friend"
Right o"
The ex-Rhodes scholar whisked ou
of the room and reappeared with {
considerable choice of footwear
pumps, cloth bath slippers and a pur
pie pair adorned with golden sunfiow
ers. Bert chose the pumps.
The lieutenant broke into a cheerful
snigger. Here we are trying on slip
pers,' he said. land the world goin.
by like panorama below. Rather :
lark, eh? Look!'
Bert peeped with him out of the win
dow. looking from the bright pettines.
of the red and silver cabin into darl
immensity. The land below. excep
for lake, was black and featureless
and the other airships were hidden
"See more outside" said the lieuten
ant. Lets go. There's a sort of littl,
gallery"
He led the way into the long passage
which was lit by one small electric
light, past some notices in German, tc
an open balcony and light ladder and