The Green Forest tribune., 1911-02-24

Stowell took Miss Blanche Edith Hulse up n a balloon, boys" proposed to her when they were 10000 feet in the air while the other man in Ghe basket was looking the other way; and now they are married!
 Dr. Stowell tried something differ ent. He might have proposed to her in an automobile, or on the deck of a yacht by moonlight, or even in the hammock on the back porch in other words he might have proposed just as millions of other men have proposed But on the spur of the moment he chose the air as the scene in which to bring his wooing to a climax-and won out.
 When his good airship landed in a rocky pasture he had the promise; the rest was easy, thanks to this new way of winning her. The 100 pounds or so of ballast" is now Mrs. Stowell
 At the beginning it looked as if Dr. Stowell stood little chance. Miss Hull SC, daughter of Schuyler Hulse, of Pittsfeld, Mass, was one of the belles of the Berkshires. Dr. Stowell prac- tised in PittstieId too, and one day he met Miss Hulse.
 lure of the City Felt.
 At length he gained the coveted in- Vitation to call. The handsome young physician took the very first oppor- tUnity. The visits continued until one day the young woman remarked in a 1yorv off bond roarDar "Tr,, eyoiDo, to New York to study nursing"
 What" answered Dr. Stowell, bare iy stitling a gasp.
 Yes" rattled on Miss Hulse, tits all arranged I'm going to Bellevue hospital there and shall take the full course. Won't it be fine?"
 Miss Hulse left Pittsfield soon after ward and Dr. Stowen never got the chance he longed for He stayed at home while Miss Hulse went to New York. Automobling had always been his hobby, but folks had the balloon fever in Pittsfield just then and Dr. Stowell got it, too. He joined the Aero Club of Pittsfeld-the premier place for the sport in the east. with its big gas works and it's host of aero sharps. Soon he had the bug" as they say
 I'm going to qualify as an air-pilot," ," declared Dr. Stowel to his friends, and he went about it in a matter -offact formal way, with each flight, making his records and studying the science of aeronautics as if he intended to make it his life work,
 He essayed the air for the first time, going up as passenger with William Van Sleet. The wind was high and the pair were blown to Tyngsboro, Mass, but they landed in safety after a wild trip through the clouds That started his qualification for air-pilot.
 Under the rules of the Aero Club of Pittsfield a candidate must make six flights with at least one passenger, and one of the flights must be at night All these Dr. Stowell made, but not without peril.
 Peril in Night Flight
 The night flight was punctuated by a terrific thunderstorm in which the balloon was in momentary peril of be, 5ng struck by lightning. In another flight he was blown across the State of Massachusetts, dipped down till he hit the waters of the Hudson river, only to rise again and bang against ehe rockbound sides of the Palisades. But, one by one, the flights were made There was but one left, and then he would become full-hedged captain of the air. He could fly alone now, if he chose, or take a person.
 He decided that his first passenger should be John P. Manning of Pitts field. It chanced that day that Miss Hulse was in Pittsfield too, on leave of absence from the hospital in New York. She went to see the balloon flight and was in the crowd that gath cred about the tugging thing of silk and gas that half hundred men could barely hold down.
 They had chatted and laughed to- Rether before things were ready, and Miss Hulse stood close to the basket to see the cast-off. Dr. Stowell was busy setting things to rights and get ting everything ship-shape when he noted that his airship seemed even too buoyant. It was plain to his eX.