The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-14

raining hard. I left her (virginia) on
board the boat, after putting the
trunks in the ladies' cabin, and set off
to buy an umbrella and look for a
boarding house. I met a man selling
umbrellas and bought one for rs cents.
Then / went up Greenwich street and
soon found a boarding house. 1t is
just before you get to Cedar street, on
the west side going up-the left hand
side. 1t has brownstone steps with a
porch with brown pillars. Morrison is
the name on the door.
81 made a bargain in a few minutes
and then got a hack and went back
for Sis. I was not gone more than
half an hour and she was quite aston
ished to see me back so soon. She
didn't expect me for an hour. There
were two other ladies waiting on
board, so she wasn't very lonely.
When we got to the house we had to
wait about half all hour before the
room was ready. The house Is old
and looks buggy. The cheapest board
I ever knew, taking into consideration
the central situation and the living.
Last night for supper we had the
incest tea you ever drank, strong and
hot, wheat bread and rye bread, cheese,
tea, cakes (elegant). a great dish
(two dishes) of elegant ham and two
Of cold veal, piled up like a mountain,
and large slices, three dishes of cakes,
and everything In the greatest profu-
sion. There are eight or ten
boarders, two or three of them ladies';
two servants. For breakfast we had
excellent favored coffee, hot and
strong, not very clear and no great
deal Of cream, veal outlets. elegant
ham and eggs and nice bread and but
ter. I ate the first hearty breakfast
since 1 left our little home. Sis Is de-
lighted and we are both in ex-
cellent spirits. She has coughed
hardly any and had no night
sweat. She is now busy mending my
pants, which I tore against a nail Il
went out last night and bought a
skein of silk, a skein of thread, two
buttons, pair Of slippers and a tin
pan for the stove. The fire kept in all
night. We have now got four dollars
and a half left. Tomorrow I am
going to try to borrow three dollars
SO that I may have a fortnight to go
upon"
He Visits "The sum-
The date OF that letter was Sunday,
April 7. Poe's first business was to
call some time during the ensuing
week at THE Sun office and there
offer the story that afterward became
famous as the Balloon Hoax" The
result was that on the following Sat
urday April IL. thePe was in the paper
a postscript, in double loaded type,
telling that a balloon had Just arrived
In Charleston. s. c., after crossing the
Atlantic. An extra, giving full details,
was promised during the forenoon. At
10 in the morning the extra duly ap-
peared containing Poe's startlingly
realistic story of the successful ven
ture OF a party OF English aeronauts
1t began: "The great problem is at
length solved. The air, as we'll as the
earth and the ocean, has been subdued
by science and will become a common
The Atlantic has been actually crossed |
In Balloon" The story bore the |
heading: |
Astounding News by Express via
Norfolk! The Atlantic Crossed in |
Three Days! Signal Triumph OF Mr.. |
Monck Mason's Flying Machinel Ar
rival at Sullivan's Island. Near |
Charleston, 8. c., OF Mr.. Mason, Mr.. |
Robert Holland, Mr.. Henson, Mr.. Har-
rison Ainsworth and -Four Others. in |
the Steering Balloon, Victoria, After |
a Passage of Seventy-five Hours |
From Land to Land! Full Particulars !
of the Voyage!"
On far less work OF the first order |
than Poe had accomplished before |
April. 1874. half dozen literary repu-