Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-27


sosns anai observations 81 ~lad. all 1sfs
rents ana aiaiosrhsfs aehsllY
An eagle which Re saw notfinr ttaf I|4
abyss. fuore than hair a mile from lte etKz.
convinced him strona upward current
exigtcd today, az on the day when ht4
had made their short iiitht over the void.
The bird scartd ana clrcied and nnauy She's
almost In the manner of = vuitnre stern
knew an eagle could not initiate tha feat
wi,hou, some aid IN Tho way OF an W.
draft.
"And u that dran is steady and coustans
nii tho way across" thought he. ~ win
result In a big saving Of fuel Given =
suf,clent rinine current we could vulplane
all the way across with a very aiiEnf tx-
pcnditure OF alcohol II looks now as though
everything we're coming on first rats.
Couldn't be better, And what day for 81
cxoursloniT
ny o'clock all was ready Aiong tha
land mild south wind was blowing.
Though the day wns probably the kth uf
october or thcreebout, no signs Of autumn
yet were hiaaoned In the forest Tbs mofft-
ing was perfect. and the travellers spirits
rose IN unison with the aboundins beauty
Of the day.
stern had Eiven the Pauulao another
final going over. tightening the staya and
latcrais uerewing up hare loosaned nnt.
there n bolt. making certain all was IL
parfecs order.
At s;is. after he had had a oOmfortlng
Pipe. they made clean getaway. risin9
along tho edge OF the ohanrn. then soaring
In hugo apirala
II want all the altitude can get.- Stern
shouted at the girl "A they climbed steadily
higher, we may need Il TO coast on. Ara
from a mile or two up maybe We can gst
n glimpse OF the other side"
But though they assembled TIL the aneroid
showed $500 feet nothing met their Enze
but the same peariy blue vapor which
velled the mystery before them And Stern.
satisfied now that nothing could be aainea
by any further ascent turned the machine
due west, and sent her aSimming llso
swallow out over tho tremendous nothius-
ness below.
AS tho earth faded behind them they be-
gan 60 feel distinctly warm and pungent
wind that rose benoath--a steady current.
as from some hugo chimney that lastly
wsh pouring out Ia monstroua volume o.
hoe vapors
Away and away beh,nd them slid the Iip
OF this gigantic cash across the world ana
now already with tho swift ruah OF the
plane tho solid earth had begun to fade
and TO grow dim.
stern only cast n glance az tho sun and At
his compass. hung there In gimbais before
him, and with irn hand ateadied the MAJ
chine for tho long problematioai flight 70
Westward Behind them tho sun kept even
with their swift pace and very far below
and ahead NJ times, they thought 10 sea
the nooinR shadow OF tho biplano cast now
and then on masses OF forrnlosa vnpor that
rose from the unBounded deopa.
Definitely committed now 10 this tromon-
douS venture. both stern end the Klrl
settled themselves mora nrnly In their
seats No time TO feel alarm. no time for
introapection, or for thoughts of what might
| lie below what fato theirs must bo lf the
old PRulllhc failed them now
NFt NlNssa Na, ~. AL.
| mechanism and In tho skill OF hand and
brain that was driving tho great planes.
| with roaring rush like gigantic gull, =
Bwoopirg rise and fall in long arcs over the
hills OF air, across tho vant enigma OF that
spaced
Stern's whole attention was fixed on
| driving, Just on the manipulation Of the
swift machine Exhaust and Interplay the
rhythm of each whlrllnR cam and nhaft.
the chatter OF tho cylinders. tho droainR
diapason OF tho blades, all blent into one IN.
tricato yet perfect harmony OF mechanism /
and as leader knows each instrument Ia
tho great orchestra and follows each, even
AS hlB eye reads tho score. so sterna keen
ear analysed each sound and action and
reaction and knew all were In perfect tune
and resonance,
Tho machlno---no enriy and experimental
model such as were used In tho frat daya
OF nylng. from 1900 20 1918. but one OF ths
perfected aud aelf-halhnced types devsl
uped about 1890. tho year whsn the uroaa
Death had struck the world--respondef ef
nobly 20 his skin and care, From her land.
ing akida to the fnrthest tip Of her alleronz
she seemed alive. Instinct with CONSCIOUS
and eager intelligence.
CcoNrINuIp TOMORROW