The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-22
kEOKUK BOY TELLS
ABOUT A|R FLIGHT
Lieut.. Van 3. Hayden Writes Inter
esting Letter Which Vas Read
Yesterday at High School
Program.
GIVE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Students Enjoy Musical Numbers and
Short Talks From Rev. Long
and Professor w. n.
Bowers.

pASSS AAy NAtSi AcSA
school. the closing of the school for
Christmas holidays was celebrated
with an interesting program. There
was music by the high school orches-
ira and by the girls glee club, and by
q string quartette. Short talks were
made by DR.. F. w. Long, pastor of the
First Congregational church, and Prof
w. H. Bower. There was the presen-
tation of KS to the football men by Dr..
Reid. also a mince pie for the football
boys.
Paul Megchelsen read the following
letter from Lieut.. Van Brocklfng Hay
den, telling of his experiences IN an
~aeroplane on his first flight, at Fort
Sill, Oklahoma:
This afternoon / had my nrst flight
In an ~aeroplane and it surpassed any
thing I ever did before in the line OF
sport far and away. 1t was glorious
thrilling, satisfying.
Our section marched 10 the ar
rome IN No. 7 hanger to prepare Sof
the first sail with many and varied
emotions. Most Of us were singing or
whistlfng, probably for the same rea-
son that a small boy whistles on a
dark street at night. Can any man go
into the air for the first time without
having that feeling that all Q foot-
ball PLAYERS have while waiting 1or
the kickoff or with the same s~ensatlons
in the pit of the stomach that a crach
runner has before a hampaonshlp
race? It is physical as much SO as a
headache and can be traced by the ex-
merits to the nerves, but why 1t should
show forth in the pit Of d stomacn
is a mystery which every sportsman
would like to have explained. | can I
remember when l felt it first, ou the
last time was when we were ali ~
ing on the grass in front OF the troop
barracks at FIT. Smelling waiting lor
the roll call of those VINO would re-
ceive commissions. / was just as sure
4 would get one as / was sure this
noon that we would all come down
safely. but in both cases the old feel
mo was there and felt rather reas-
surfing. like the presence OF an olo
friend.
Take 1t Easy.
We spent the best part OF two hours
hanging around the air drome While
the mechanicians tuned up the ma
chine and the pilots took short fiishts'
At g. after bundling up in sweaters
large corduroy trousers, o ilneo, d
leather coat and helmit n goggles,
went out to where ship No. 2S7 was
sitting with the motor idling n the
PROPELLER turning lazily and cEnped
into the observers seat just ahead Oh
the pilot and directly between the two
wings. A sloping semi cone or mica
on the forward edge Of the COCK PIT
just high enough to keep the wind on,
if one did not get too curious ana
stretch up ove the top, was a COM
fort TO saw the least. "Pn take 1t easy
-f4l 49,, eo3l tn riInt "anH wnnSf
try anything that might you"
go as far as you please l told him
and hooked the belt that held me to
the seat.
He gave her a little gas and we head
ed out toward the middle of the field.
A plane was coming down with a
graceful swoop Just ahead and We walt
ed while it landed. Then, into the
wind, more gas, and we were bump
Ing gently along over the ground about
fifty miles per hour, l guess, with the
wind from the propeller rushing past
and the rear Of the motor filling the
whole universe with noise. The ball
had been kicked and ! was having the
time of my life. | ducked behind my
diminutive wind shield and peered
over the side to watch the speeding
ground; suddenly the humping stop
ped and We were in the air and climb
ing fast as the ground was dropping
rapidly away. Up We went for half a
mile straight away n then a wide
turn and back over the hangers. We
circled the field three times and the
altimeter read $500 feet, about three
quarters of a mile up.
Well. it was just like it looked from
the ground, only more so. We we're
Just floating around up there n go
ing higher ell the time. The ground
began to take on the appearance Of
a great map and the regular lines Of
the tents of the 7th division at Camp
Donophan began to show up like a
checker board. Tt was cold as the Their
mometer was registering about 20 on
the ground and the air up there was
colder, and moving awful vast.
5000 Feet UP.
We climbed to the 5000 foot mark
and Strengthened out flat. l leaned
out and looked all around. The wind
seemed about the consistency of thick
paste. but / was bound to see what the
world looked like N I saw. We were
I'D almost a mile and Lawton under
meath looked like a toy town. The air
was clear and details that I could see
astonished me. I turned to at
the pilot. He was hanging n arm
over the side looking down and appar-
entity paying no attention to the ship.
I thought if that man has a girl in
Lawton, / wish he would take some
other time to watch for her signal.
But we were riding as steadily as a
Packard with an occasional little bob
exactly the same sensation as
wave gives when it hits an
We wen- DOT sail boat.
Cstv a var,pretty cold at 5000 feet, but