The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-12

ing from side to side as though drunk.
Stretcned out on the ground was
the parachute festened to the bag Of
the balloon 30 that when the balloon
under IT, fastened only by n rope.
a cord led up to a knife sc that when
the aernout wanted to descend he
would but have to jerk the cord, cut
ting the rope. and 7oat down to earth
safety. Under the parachute the
trapeze q was hanging. a bright
brass rod on which Scanlon was t o
while being waited to the clouds.
As the bag Strengthened up it be-
gan to tug so that the farmers and
townspeople swinging on 1t for ballast
began to grow afraid and anxious { o
release their hold.
Hey, Mac" he called to his assist
ant, throw in another chunk"
Mac knew what this meant and on
the fire tossed a small bucket of coal
oil. A blaze fire leaped through the
tunnel and the balloon tore itself out
Of the hands Of the ballast men. The
balloon wObbled up.
A muttering shout ran around the
crowd for the tension was at it's
height, and a man from their midst
was about to be whisked into the
heavens. Women threw up their
0sto va ttouICu ~ ! VI dlIls
ing.
Hold on tight" called out an old
man leaning on a gnarled cane for
support.
"oh, l know he will be killed." Sob
bed a woman turning away her eyes.
But all this was me with at every
performance and served in no ways
to unstring Scanlon's nerves. All his
mind and energies were bent on clear.
ing tho h~nildfn0a onh fraA tnto
Let her go, boys" he called out
over the EXPLANATIONS of the people
and the cracking of the fire. "Cut
loose" -
Running back scanlon picked up
the brass trapeze rod and seated him.
self on it. n hand on each rope.
Then as the balloon slipped up into
the air, he ran forward under it. the
long.folded parachute tugging him
gently. thus saving himself from being
dragged over the ground. There had
not been a hitch: the weather was
perfect; he was getting q good start.
The ascent seemed no different from
a dozen others he had made.
But there is where the risk Of a
balloon Jumper m in. He never
knows what moment something will
happen.
Suddenly a drunken man burst
through the crowd and threw his arms
around Scanlon.
He was a big. muscular man, and
in his dazed eyes was the look of an
intoxicated man who cares not the
least what happens. Scanlon had to
grasp the ropes on the ends Of the
bar to be kept from being pulled of
backward.
lifted OFF the ground, and Scanlon had
no way to fight back except by kick
Ing.
Let loose. let loose!" he yelled
franticallN. but the man only tighten
ed his grip and buried his face in
Scanlon's spanles, afraid to look down.
Fol- a moment h crowd stood too
Mortified to move. then several Of the
men coming to themselves rushed out
mans dangling feet. But they miss
ed and in a second more the balloon
had risen above the tops Of the trees
and the wv men over the heads Of
the people.
Let go or YOU will be killed." cried
Scanlon. squirming in the mans
grasp and kicking as beet he could.
But the man held on grimly without
answering a word.
The horror Of it all flashed through
Scanlon's mind and made him fight
now resolutely. Here he was sitting
on a brass rod 20 feet under the bail
loon. riding a balloon built for only
$50 pounds. plus the weight of the
parachute and he himself was over
weight by 10 pounds. The man cling
ing to his arms must weight at least
40 pounds.
To make the ascent this way would
be absolute folly. So he redoubled
his energies toward kicking off the
unwelcome passenger. Letting go of
one hand he chung to one swinging.
bending rope. nj with the free hand
tried to tear apart the mans fingers.
Kicking him madly on the thighs with
his heels.
Drop. drop. YOU can make it yet"
breath.
But the ma paid no heed, holding
on as grimly as death itself. Catching
hold OF one of the mans hands Scan
lon tore it away. The man freed his
hand again n fastened it in another
place. Surging back and forth. Scan
Ion tried to wriggle out of the mans
grasp, the combined weight sending a
wave clear up to-the balloon like a
Breathing with quick intakes of
breath, partly from exhaustion and
partly from the effect without speak,
ing a word. One idea was firmly ixed
in his mind. and that was that he
must hold on tight, and with the grip
and determination Of a drowning man
he carried out his idea.
|. Working his hand up the mans
back Scanlon got 1t against the mans
face by a quick surge and pushed
mad!y and blindly. but the mar buried
his face in the other side of Scan.
Ions back and the short advantage
was gone.
Rapidly but with stately dignity the
balloon rose into the air, each second
adding to the distance that one Of
them must fall. %Scanlon's hands sank
deep into the bar ropes and they
came down almost to the level of the
par; his head was pulled back until
ne could see nothing but the droop.
ing skirts of tho parachute and the
puIging sides of the balloon over him.
Squirming and kicking. he struggled
till his breath was almost spent,
hghting against time. knowing that
zach moment the balloon was getting
higher and higher.
Finally. twisting his head around,
Scanlon saw that they were fully 500
feet high and that q drop meant in
stand death. He could see the crowd
standing almost as he had left 1t,
scarcely making a sound. all faces
tense and Eet. silent watchers of the
struggle for life in mid air.
Suddenly the man gave a lunge and
flung n arm over the bar. then in
spite Of all Scanlon could do he swung
back and hooked a knee over it. like
an aeronaut in a show.
Scanlon looked down into the mans
Ina