The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-05-24
VI Dropped Softl'

dropped oo1t!
vt occurred to Bert presently to twist
his knees and legs inward ana
grip with them or surely he would
u have been bumped into two clumsy
halves. And he was going Up 100 yards
high, 200, 300, over the streaming, frotn-
ng wilderness Of water below. up, up.
ap. That was all right. But how pres
emily would one go horizontally! lie
tried to think If these things did go
horizontally. No. They tapped up
and then scared down. For time he
would keep on tapping up. Tears
streamed from his eyes. He wiped
them with one tremendously Olsen
e. ed hand.
Vas Ii better to risk a fall over land
or over water-such water?
He was tapping up above the upper
rapids toward Buffalo. 1t was at any
rate a comfort that the falls and the
wild swirl Of waters below them were
behind him. He was flying up straight.
That he could see. How did one turn!
He was presently almost cool. and
his eyes got more used TO the rush OF
air. but he was getting very high
very high. He tilted his head for
ward and surveyed the country. blink
ing. He could see all over Buffalo,
place with three great blackened scars
Of ruin, and hills and stretches be-
yond. He wondered IL he was half
mile high or more. There were some
people among some houses near rail
way station between Niagara and Bur
falo and then more people. They went
like ants busily In and out or the
houses. He saw two motorcars g1d-
Ing along the roa- toward Niagara
city. Then far away IN the south he
saw q great Asiauc airship going
eastward "Oh, Gawd!' he said and
became earnest In his inenectual at
tempts TO alter his direction. But that
airship took no notice OF him, and be
continued to ascend convulsiyely. 1he
world got more and more extensive
and mapHke Click. clock. Glitter
clock. Above him and very near 10
him now was a hazy stratum or cloud.
He determined 10 disengage the wing
clutch. He did so. The lever resisted
his strength for time, then over ii
came. and instantly the tail of the ma
chine cooked up and the wings be
came rigidly spread. Instantly every
thing was swift and smooth and silent
He was gliding rapidly down the oil
against wild gale OF wind. his eyes
three-quarters shut.
A little lever that had hitherto beer
obdurate now confessed itself mobile
He turned II over gently TO the right
and whirooLthe left wing had II
some mysterious way given at its edg'
and he was sweeping round and down
ward In On immense right handed
spiral. For some moments he expert
enced all the helpless sensations OF ca
tastrophe lie restored the lever 10 IL
middle position with some difficult,
and the wings were equalized again.
lie turned il 10 the left and had
sensation OF being spun around back
ward. Too muchr' he gasped.
lie discovered that he was rushing
down M headl0ng pace toward
railway line and some factory build
inas. They appeared 10 lie tearing u
10 hin 10 devour him. He must hav
dropped all that height. For a me
ment he had the Intellectual sensation
OF or whose bicycle bolts downhil
The ground had almost taken him b
surprise Ere he cried. and the
with Violent effort OF all his beln
he got the beating engine at wor
again and set the wings tapping. ii
swooped down and up and resume