The Rice belt journal., 1919-09-27


club one night he took prominent
mart in the debate. He had read up on
the subject more or less and assumed
the role of an authority.
at takes nerve to fly" he admitted
s.but not 50 much as have been forced
to display at times on terra lrIlla'
He then related some instances TO
prove his statement.
1T may be true" observed George +
Hollister, the young president Oh 'he
Second National bank, that gong UP
in an airship does not require an eA'r"
amount of courage, but when 1t comes
to looping -the-loop and going through
all those fancy maneuvers-Well' l
reckon you wouldn't care TO Try II
yourself"
"Wouldn't, hey? How much DO you
want to bet on thatT'
"Pu wager ten thousand" repIled
the challenger, that if you will 60 up
in an airplane and let the aviator pu'
Won through a program of stunts you
will be crying quits inside OF an hour
after leaving the ground.
ITS a GO said Mr.. Seymour 'Pu'
| up the cash"
4 committee was selected to ar
range for the bet. All that was neces-
sary was to secure the services OF al
aviator at the local flying field ana
swear him to secrecy, for it would not
do for the Seymour family to learn OF
the matter The arrangements were
duly made and two days later, on
clear afternoon, Mr.. Seymour, attlreo
in aviation clothes, was strapped 10
the passenger seat Of Il biplane. IL ne
was nervous be it to his credit that he
did not show it. The plane rose grace
, fully and Mr.. SeymOur'S stomach
seemed to climb into his throat with
; the same motion. He had read 1t was
!, best not to look down, so he kept MS
gaze averted, with the result that he
+ did not suffer severe nausea. In 1act
he enjoyed the sensation of soaring
+ through space and could not refrain
q from mentally "pOOh-pOohing' at the
dangers of aviation and chuckllns
o over the ten thousand that would bt
6 his.
However, he had reckoned not VIII
), the man in control of the craft. SUD
y denly the machine tipped and starte'
c nose first at a sharp angle for tn
~ earth. The banker lost his breath ant
" clung desperately to the seat. l
seemed that he was going to be dashe
20 to pieces, but abruptly the plane right
ed itself and shot upward at the sam
q angle. Then it turned far on one sid
- and seemed about to tip cOmpletel
W over, but recovered its equilibrium an
q tipped to the other side. Before Nj
=, Seymour could realize what had o.
- Cured the machine took another nos
dive, this time dropping so far that
- almost scraped the top of tree. The
- up, far up, it scared again and
-, heavens! it turned completely ov'
,o sideways and began rolling over ar
~ over. This lasted for, it seemed,
hour. although it was actually only Fl
u teen seconds. Hardly had the era
~. cot to a. horizontal position when
-. took another dive, but instead of hea
~ ing for the earth the nose turned Gle
- under, the engine was shut off and t
~. plane, upside down, began falliI
- rapidly. The passenger could ha
~ ~ sworn that the machine had drOpp
~ fifty miles. but it was only thousa
M feet, when it struggled once more
~, W an upright position and began loopir
the-loOp.
- Enough groaned Mr.. Seymo
~ ~ through the speaking tube. "Get me
If the ground in safety and you can ha
anything ] own
W. The next day Mr.. Seymour did
ln ~, get to the office until midafterno
He found Weldon Miller awaiting hi
w The banker glared at him and inquil
bruSQuely as TO MS erraHu.
ms ms i've got the ten thousand" said
i%' young man, holding out a bank bo
I'm one from the Second National. IF
eu % thermore, have your consent to m
oor ry Ruth"
Dal ' Mr. Seymour stood at his desk
glared at Weldon.
Nv "Where do you get that stutT|
','n said in voice that was almost re
Sno "What do you mean, ten thousal
nan What do you mean, consent?"
Weldon helped himself to seat.
you 81 won the ten thousand in b
HIS he said. "Mr. HolliSter of the Sec
n l National loaned me an equal amo
lteo and put it up for me. And while
taf' were doing stunts in the sky you
re- me could have anything you oW
if put you safely back on the grol
gAt, You see I'm an air mail carrier"
ong, The banker dropped into his ch
help fabbergasted.
OLD "You win," he said weakly.