The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-12-15
AN EARLY AIRSHIP
1t Wouldn't Fly, Although 1t Got a
Trial by Moonlight.
BUT 1T CAUSED A SURPRISE.

Story of Comedy That Was Enacted
In the Dead Watches of the Night on
the Banks of the Potomac In the
TroubIous Wartime Days OF 1868.
In the Smithsonian institution at
Washington there hangs an ancient
model OF an aeroplane 1t looks to the
casual observer like SmalI facsimile
of the Wright biplane.
But it is many years older than the
Wright flying machine, 1t is the
Stringfellow airship, built in the early
sixties Of the last century. and it once
caused the arrest as spy and con-
spirator of Professor Joseph Henry,
the eminent man of science who was
the first secretary of the Smithsonian
institution.
In the summer Of 1868 Washington
was in state Of the utmost agitation
and uneasiness. The Confederate
armies moving northward were threat
ening Washington itself. and southern
scouts had raided within sight Of the
dome Of the capitol.
A strong picket line was kept on
duty night and day, especially along
the banks Of the Potomac. In that
part of Washington there IL a wide
space of park known as the mall.
There pickets constantly patrolled.
keeping an eye upon the distant Vir-
gjnia shore
One moonlit midnight picket Dac-
Ing to and fro between the river and
and the Smithsonian institution. which
stood in lonely part Of the mall, saw
solitary man emerge from the shad-
; Ow of the elms that bordered the
grounds. He bore strange, birdllke.
nondescript thing that looked like
nothing the sentinel had ever seen be-
fore.
Standing out in the open spaces. the
solitary man flung his strange appH-
ance into the air; it 6uttered for few
feet and then sank to the ground.
Again the man tossed it into the air
and watched it hutter short distance.
while in the shadow Of the elms the
picket looked on in bewilderment
1t was no time to give any one the
benefit Of doubt. The picket sum-
moned the captain Of the guard, and a
squad of soldiers suddenly descended
on the mysterious man.
What is your name? What is this
thing. and what are you doing with
it?" queried the captain of his prisoner.
"l am Professor Henry. secretary OF
the Smithsonian institution yonder,"
said the prisoner. Then be stopped.
In that day for man TO admit that
he was seriously experimenting with a
flying machine was conclusive evidence
of his insanity. and Professor Henry,
who had chosen the dead watches or
the night in which to experiment with
Stringfellow'S flying machine. hesitat-
ed to tell his capt0rS what he was
really doing.
You're spy" declared the cap
tain. land this thing is some kind of
machine with which you're signaling
to the Confederates.
IL am not spy declared Professor
Henry Il am experimenting with
flying machine. That is the truth
This explanation was greeted with a
roar of deriSive laughter. The idea
that a man of Professor HenrrS repu-
tation would fool with flying MAJ
chine was ridiculous. Certain now that
they had caught spy. they hustled
the professor off to the guardhouSe.
Unfortunately for him. his studious
habits made him almost unknown in
Washington. not a single man at the
guardhouse knew him by sight. Anc
so through the long night he was com
pelled TO remain in durance.
AT daybreak the captain reported his
capture to the colonel in command
That officer hurrying to the guard
house. was astonished to find that the
spy was his intimate friend. Professor
Henry. But his astonishment was
nothing compared TO the chagrin OF the
captain and his squad.
Professor Henry. however, not only
seadily forgave them. but praised their
diligence and zeal and admitted that ne
had given the picket very reasonable
ground for suspicion.-Youth's Com
panion.