San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-20
SCRIBE GETS NEW SLANT
ON THE EARTH AND SUN
!. WHEN HE GRINS AT PILOT
Says He Would Like to Take Ride-Gets One
4 Saw San Antonio Overhead-Last Moments
of Agony Caused by Barrel Roll Which
Ends in 25OOfoot Tail Spin 4,

! jerks passed by at rate that would
lengthen an ordinary lifetime far into
eternity. Then the victim was over
ioyed to find the plane floating nj
ease through space. He looked round
about and tIied to locate familiar OBJ
iects. Flying wasn't so bad after all,
he unused.
Never Grin at the Pilot.
He realized that the lieutenant was
gazing in his direction with a smile
on his face. The victim grinned q
reply, but q moment later he began to
entertain a feeling of doubt and mis-
givings Now he is able to offer some
sound advice. Never grin at an avia-
tor when he has you strapped in q
Voigt.
The plane gradually approached the
ground, and the victim attempted to
predetermine the point at which the
landing would be made. He was cha
grined TO find that there was no stoT
scheduled. The plane SKINNED along
the ground with the speedometel
pointing straight at 135 miles pei
hour. 1t passed over the site of the
balloon race start. rose slightly to clear
some trees and then shot straight into
the air.
Up and more up followed in rapid
succession. The clouds were reached
and left behind. San Antonio grew
smaller and smaller.
Then the tormentor circled round
above the city. The business section
was plainly visible. but the largest
office buildings resembled small dol
houses. The billowy clouds looked like
whitecaps OH an ocean far. far beneath
! the flyers. off to the west. Medina
Lake appeared SO close that the victim
felt he could almost toss a rock across
it.
Suppose a Wing Fell Off.
Then his eyes began to wander over
the two good wings that were sup
porting the plane, and he wondered
what would, happen if one or both oil
those wings should give way. One mo.
mcnt of that line of thought was SUI.
| ficient. Somewhere in the realm Of
human hopes, activities and aspird
tons there must be some subject NOR:
| comforting, he reasoned.
He began to contemplate the dis
lance to the earth but found nothing
invigorating in that occupation. Somc
ease he did gain by recounting to him.
self what he had been told of the man
who was handling the controls OF
Noigt No. 221. 1t was comforting &c
remember how the lieutenant had de
scended some 5000 or COCO feet after
his plane had collapsed with no moro
serious results than the necessity Oi
having TO secure a new plane and q
few spare parts for his own anatomy
lie was interrupted about this tim,
by seeing the lieutenant take another
casual glance overhead. He gritteC
his teeth and tried to prepare fol
what he knew was going TO be thu
next number on the program, I'll,
plane took sudden jerk and ter
rifle flop. The victim glanced over
head to see if the sun was still shin
ing and found himself gazing straigl,
at San Antonio. He turned his gaz,
downward and saw the sun far be
meath him. He decided that the onl,
thing he could look at with any de
gree OF certainty was the back Of tn
occupant of the front seat.
Funeral 4 Pleasure.
But those sensations were mere an
petizers for what was to follow. I
brief course Of procedure that the vic
tim failed 70 outline ended with wha
he has learned since was a split tai
turn. an up and down movement tina
would make any sane person prefer {,
attend his own funeral than 10 b.
compelled TO make that turn twice.
Again the plane assumed a feelint
OF equilibrium. The occupant of tn
rear seat thought lie had been full.