Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-05-28

1t was some function, combining
both business and pleasure. The line
formed at the right, extended around
the ship and would have repeated bat
Just then man arrived with a long
rope and started to build fence
around the machine in order that it
might be preserved for future refer
ence. No person was ever so welcome
as that rope carrier. Between greet
ing enthusiastic visitors with one hand
and waving back equally enthusiastic
spectators with the other in order to
preserve the ship, | had acquired
enough movements to qualify as an or
chestra leader.
The people were interested The
Liberty Loan should have had its
salesman ON the grounds. If we haG
opened an information bureau and sold
a bond for every ten questions we an
swered the country would have gone
over the top in forty minutes. The
chief point of curiosity was the weight
of the ship, but this question was
only slight distance in advance of
the number who wanted to know the
altitude at which the stunts were per-
formed
Gully Wanted to Know.
noticed negro hanging around the
edge of the crowd wearing the look of
a man who has something on his
mind. Later when we were leaving
the field he came up and inquired if it
ever scared person to ride in an
"arrplane." Lieut.. Stout assured him
that it did, that since he had been
flying twenty three of his passen-
gers had died of fright in the rear
seat and he had been obliged to throw
the bodies overheard before landing
The negroes eyes bulged out so far
it seemed a wonder of physiology that
they didn't drop out but he murmured
| his thanks for the information and
went away, walking backwards and
watching us-to avoid beng taken up
l suppose.
We were wonderfully entertained
The town outdid itself in hospitality
We were fed so often | began to think
of the colored preacher expounding
the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
He said there were five thousand
| loaves and three thousand fishes, and
the twelve apostles ate all of them,
the miracle being they didn't bust.
The town had been patriotic, too.
There were dozens of men in uniform
who had been discharged and nearly
all male citizens between sixteen and
sixty who were wearing civilian
clothes assured us they had just
returned. l only saw one who did not
claim to have had military service. He
was one legged man and served as
president of the draft board. There
may have been non-military men pres
ent but they didn't come forward and
mention it.
Among These Present We're
Some of the visitors were IN very
mellow mood. During the afternoon
one of them informed us there were
quantities of liquor in town. We told
him not to look at us so suspiciously,
we didn't bring any He asked if l
knew what the price of red liquor was.
| told him l didn't as never sold any
there, but if he had some to dispose of
not to let anyone cheat him but get his
moneys worth.
| We had accepted an invitation to go
auto riding and decided to look up a
barber shop. We had left home too
early to get shaved. While hunting
for the shop, we had the pleasure of
observing an extemporaneous street
fight. My companion said: Lieutenant
hope if this place gets rough my ship
will take off with the same rate of
speed I shall display going down to
where she is parked" ] told him in
case the town got rough, no matter
what rate of speed he employed l
would beat him to the ship by such a
margin 1 would have time to smoke
cigarette before he arrived.
When | mentioned some time ago
that all the population were present
at the landing it was mis- statement
1t developed later in the evening that
there was weak bridge over sXream
about four miles out of town, and the
reception committee mot wishing to
overlook anything that might be of aid
had posted four guards at this bridge
to warn incoming aviators about being
careful when they crossed the bridge
/ lest the weight of the machine col
lapse the structure. When they learned
that the ship did not taxi in, they were
said to be the maddest men in that
part of the state. They had hopelessly
missed the landing. l suppose in later
years, when their grandchildren gather
around the fireside and cuddle up to
them and ask; Grandpa where We're
you the day the ship landed?" they will
have to hang their heads and confess
| N Shame thew were not present.