Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-09-24

80 ~ ~
was persuaded to go the second
day. Then Professor Markham
began looking about for a sub
stitute to take Willis place for
the remainder of the week. Hav.
ing always since a small boy
wanted TO make a balloon trip,
here was the opportunity | was
looking for. Along about that
time | did not care whether |
was here, there or the other
place, so | made an engagement
to do the stunt" at $50 per day,
money TO go up with me on any
and all trips.
With some misgiving as to
whether | was going to be- a sue
cess as a 'high-hyer"or theprin.
cipal actor in a funeral process
sion, | allowed myself to be tied
in the saddle as soon as the bal.
loon was in readiness, and after
receiving my instructions for
perhaps the tenth time, the
principal one of which was do
not cut loose until some two to
three hundred feet above the
ground as the parachute some,
times dropped an hundred feet or
more before opening" the word
go was given, and running
towards the balloon a few yards
| was raised gently off the
ground and was going skyward
on my maiden trip with no fur.
Their exertion on my part-a
direction lew printers are sup
posed to ever go.
1t was advertised thoroughly
throughout the grounds that
morning that a citizen of the
town known to most of the PEG.
pie, would make the ascent that
day instead of the regular per.
former, consequently everybody
and his dog was there to see
who the Crazy Ike" was who
would tempt Fate When l left
the ground a creepy feeling
came upon me for a few minutes,
but it soon wore away and | be,
gan taking in the situation from
a birds vantage point as it were
| had taken a game rooster with
me, which might have had some
thing to do with my peace o.
mind, for he was a companiona
BILE fellow, putting his head be
meath my arm and feignins
sleep, but when | heard the re
port from Professor Markham,
pistol l had other things Il,
occupy my time, so / took thu
poor rooster in my hand anc
tossed him upward and outward
and he was soon lost to sigh
below ne. On reaching thu
ground later / learned the pool
fellow had done his best but thai
his wings were not strong
enough to support his weight anG
and after clrcling around ano
turning over a few times he fel
near the spot where we had left
the ground, the impact bursting
him open. Had | known il
meant his death in this manner
| would not have taken him with
me, for although | was case.
hardened and calloused cruelty
to animals or birds was no par,
of my makeup. But to resume.
| then followed my other in,
structions to look after my
ropes, getting them clear of en-.
tanglement for my final act OF
the afternoOn-and | did not
know but that it might be for all
time. Again came the pistol re.
port. | took one look at the
crowd below whom / could hear
family yelling and cheering, and
wondered if | would reach the
ground safely or be picked up a
mangled mass of flesh and brok.
en- bones. But in less time than
it takes to tell it I had cut loose.
Down! down! down! Would the
parachute never open? Yes; and
when it did | was almost breath.
less, but the almost sudden stop
jerked the wind into me again
and | began floating gracefully
of towards the east. settling
gradually to the ground. l
heard a swish" aud tapping
and turned just in time to see
my balloon, bottom up, pass me