Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-09

was a deal silence which lasted for
quite an appreeiable time, and then
the people began asking each other
what had happened.
| ann afraid that innocently enough |
alarmed some of them rather badly.
fer | VAS quite unnotieed up aloft and
there We're many among the crowd,
which instantly began to disperse in
all directions who went home with
the uncomfortable conviction that they
had Witnessed an omen of evil import
for the coming YEAR. Others again
were inclined to think that it was
satellite that had mysteriousiy
dropped from the heavens. The in
tense brilllancy of my Illumination
was such that, as | afterward learned.
the flash was seen at Elstree in Hert
Yorkshire, I miles away 1t also at
tracted considerable attention in the
newspapers, several of which con-
tanned references to it during the week,
and in fact it was not until my
photograph was published in one of
the weekly illustrated papers that the
my stery was solved.
\ picture Of Sir George Martin
playing the organ in Westminster abb
hey is not exciting in itself. but it is
good example OF the difficulties often
btsetting the hashlight photographer.
| As the organ loft was very small there
was not room to operate and | was at
my Wits end to know how to take the
| photograph. for / was unable to place
my camera far enough away from my
| sitter. At length, however, | saw a
way out of the difficulty. l fixed
rope TO the top OF the organ loft and
| tied nay camera on the end OF it in
such d position as TO allow the lens to
project through Sir Georges peep
hole | then let off my flash with my
camera in midair.
A chapter of accidents occurred when
went TO Southampton to photograph
| the homecoming of Gen. Sir Redvers
Butler from South Africa. A fog
made the time OF the ships landing
uncertain but late at night a reporter
running toward the docks shouted TO
! me that the ship was just coming in
II rushed back 10 my hotel grabbed up
a box Of flash powder and a snapshot
camera and dashing into the kitchen
Communicated saucepan lid in which
to fire the powder. Then l set OF
/ post haste for the docks, picking up en-
route a reporter to whom l gave the
news.
The ship was just coming alongside
when we got there and as il was ne
cessary for me to take a position well
above the level OF the ground we
climbed up into the loft OF a con-
yenient shed overlooking the scene 1t
was quite dark in the place. but as we
odd Just See a door on the opposite
side We made a rush toward il. Then
without the slightest warning we both
almost disappeared in a heaped up
pile of some soft fluffy, choking sub
stance.
We had, il appeared broken into
grain warehouse, the loft or which
was being used to store some kind of
fine middhngs The awful stuff was
several feet deep all over the floor
and through ii we fioundered and
struggled, gasping FOR breath and Well
night suffocated Al length, however,
we fought our way through and
reached the door just as Gen Butler
was stepping on the gangway, but
fortunately for me an officer went up
| to speak to him and detained him for
a little while.
| hastily poured the powder into the
saucepan lid, gave it to my friend to
hold, and told him to ignite 1t with a
piece OF lighted paper as quickly as
possible. Then, steadying myself
against the doorpost, held the snap
shot camera in my hands as firmly as
possible and waited. At first my
friend was unable to ignite the pow
der, and the anxious moments were
, flying all too rapidly, when suddenly it
/ tlared up. My unfortunate companion,
taken completely by surprise, was sent
Tying on his back with some badly
! burned fingers and shock to his
nervous system The resulting photo
graph, however, was all things con-
, sidered. very sfactory.-Strand.
Mrs. Elizabeth Akers Allen.