The Marshall republican., 1913-01-24
Terrible Experience in a
Balloon.

periences of an Airman" in tn,
February American Magazine, tell
the following story OF thrilling
adventure he had in a balloon dur
ing a thunderstorm -
after supper vas owe and oul
things slowed away, we noticed
what seemed to be occasional flasl
es OF heat-lightning far off on the
horizon, but we thought little o
II. Soon these became frequent
and VIC saw that n storm was gath
ering. but, as IL was far TO ONT
side OF the direction in which We
were going, we thought IL would
pass around us. However, We be-
gan to hear the rumble of thunder
and knew that the tempest was
nearing. The air grew chill. and
before we could realize what was
happening the balloon. pitching
and ~swaying. was sucked into a
mighty vortex where amidst the
deafcning roar Of the thunder and
the l~ightning's vivid glare surging
aud swinging and spinning around
and around. the balloon shot right
up In the very heart o. n cyclone.
Every flash of lightning blinded
US. and each clap OF thunder felt
like the blow Of q mighty hammer
on the side OF the var. We had to
hold TO the edge ~ the basket TO
keep from being hurled out. The
balloon, bouncing and tossing. ros
and fell thousands OF feet with
irightful rapidity in the whirl of
the mac'strum.
ave rose thirteen thousand 'ctt.
over two miles.-and then cat
out ballast TO try to ride above the
storm. but il vas impossible. We
lost all control Of the balloon-u--
ually 80 amcnable to guidance. IL
was now like chip In the gorge
81 Niagara. Its upward rushes
were like those OF rocket, thru
a darkness black as ink. changing
now and again To q binding glare
as the lightning, more vivid than
had ever seen, turned night in
20 strange and lurid day. For
We were not watching the light
ming from afar, as one does on the
earth, where II Is like light seen
through a window-we were inside
Of IL, cnvcloped In its blinding
glow.
Through n rift In the clouds We
caught sight OF the earth far be-
low, and saw that We were DASH
ing downward with such violence
that IL seemed as II the ground
were rushing up at us. We saw
too that the basket was going to
strike. Just ne the shock came We
pulled the valve-rope. and-the huge
balloon started on n mad dash
across the fields, dragging us with
terrific speed after Il. I crawied
out into the concentrating ring at
the risk OF falling out on the
ground or OF getting my legs
caught under the basket. Grssping
the rip-cord, pulled Il with all
my might. II slipped through my
fingers, and tore off a ring was
wearing, taking the flesh with Il.
Just then my companion, Mr.. Har-
mon, nearly fell out, and pulling
him In We crouched In the bottom
OF the basket.
"The balloon dashed on, crashing
right through two barbed- wire
fences, tearing down two telegraph
lines, smashing telephone pole
TO splinters, bounding on into a
patch of woods over a farmhouse,
and landing in acorniield fully
two miles from where il first
the ground.
ave made up our minds then
and there that the next time we
were In a balloon, and saw a cy-
coming, we would come down
There is an interesting sequel
this adventure, which shows
that the unexpected sonnet mes hap
pens, and that some OF thu Ara
oian Nights Tales may be founded
on fact. Some time afterwari Mr..
Harmon received a letter rom I,
who lived near where thi
occurred, saying that while p,ow-
ing in his field he had found a
ring and asking il we had either