Year: 1865

askyp


We all got into the wicker basket at once. and no.
body could tcl which were his legs. so confusedly
were they jumbled together ct the bottom There was
one very iat man. whose thighs as they reposed upon
the wiekerwork looked like entire body and caused
on part horrible premonitons Of rip in the basket
and Wholesale spill This had no sooner let him.
self down than he asked for the valyerope. ana we
shall never forget his despair finding that 1t was be-
| yond his reach In moment he began to grow sea
sick AID asked if there notary in the party TO
whom he might make his will and testament. Our
anxiety that lie should be seized with TT. and CON-
PEELED to leave was paramount even to his terror


Were all full :" said thin. sanguine man. :" 1t
isn't an omnibus you know. and may therefore be at
some time or other complete"


Here another passenger lodged through the ropes.
and tangled his legs with ours Everybody looked
with melancholy and deceitful satisfaction at the peo
pe who were not to ascend, and we would have given
the eighty dollars which cost to initiate the concern.
cash down, if we could have let off the gas


But Mr. Lowe went to and fro issuing orders straight
forwary and apparently missing his speaking trumpe:
very much; while tie mule that to let US up by
rope until clear Of the fences ate his oats in harness
and seemed TO have 10 idea whatever that he dent
fed with the cracking, saggng belchng cid bladder
above US. The balloon called the Quaker City,
and had shad belly appearance, corresponding to its
name; and and then to make it plumper and less
contcued with ITSELF tall man let some gas from
cock side Of the yard The place was sort Of
bottom ncosed al the tops Of the ascent four sides
by high fence and toward the Sixhave. inclosure.
great gallery crowded with people kept up waving Of
fans and ribbons, and voey of small talk that seemed
to US as inconsistent and unmercfu ssJadiaase at
funeral.


"Cockcy" says horribly small boy. whose breeding
has been neglected give lock Of yer hair to carry
to yer Borrowed Ma


That fellow" exclaims a man of large growth, but
of stationary courtesy ointng to the fat gentleman
ought TO 90 up hssef He's lighter than air. and
musn let the wind blow on him"


Meantime, fastened by sort Of grappe or grapnel to
the little board platform, each of us as mnutey in
spected if We presently to be hung, we five pas
seDgers curlcd up in the basket bottom say to
pean ike felons prayer and wonder what induces
men to be either great or conspicuous. The advanced
guard of urchns and nursery maids, and Old gentlemen
who assume to DC scientific end who will read Of our
deaths tomorrow morning with much learned interest
have to be pushed of the platform and then as If
they were in danger of being mixed up with the
criminals while hear. like dream at sea the moan
Of the bilowy people who waiting behind the high
fence under the shade trees OF the Park. with spy
glasses and spectacles and white handkercbiefs wav
ing to see us blown in the sky like five shiyerDg insects
upon a leaf


Stand fast TO your ballast gentlemen command the
mule to dress attentions let this bag 60 in the car
prepare TO mount"


Where's the valye.rope = says the fat man. Stop
minute have We any brandy in the company 1t didn't
occur TO before that had forgotten my field glass"


Here the fat man leans The side OF the and
says he Is subject to spasns and that this sort of
weather is apt TO produce them.


THAT ar mans sick" says the boy with neglected
educationi there's been a mistake about him he's
lad the gas let into him


just al this place Mr.. Thomasky waves Lis baton
and the orchestra blows up.


Tramp. trsmp, tramp, the boys marching.


Cheer up comrades, they will come-"
The fat man looks at the musicians with waiery eye
aud wipes the peTspraon from bis face with acotlon
glove in order that the other Precipitation may have
room W get out he therefore to be- after an In
stan an aggregation Of glass beads ard the badness
Of his scalp, when he takes off lis hat Is as much
drenched as If we gthrough belt Of nmbus
clouds.


I'm very well satisfied, he says and delight IN
such little excite,nens but that valve rope ought to
be secured. L want 10 pc h-tiu'f hu" "'' W.
good care If you let me hold it, that don't &c, loose
again"


Don't you use that Eat feler for a grapne hook ~
says the horrible boy, he's TOO round TO take bold


The musicians are by this time quite red and puffy,
with their intcrminable Tramp tramp tramp
and the people on the balcony their articles Of
dress so universally that they look to be series Of
clothes lines on a fat Monday.


Bring the mule TO attention " says the Professor.
Imply one OF those bags; hold fast Let her out"


The mule at once proceeds 10 unwind himself but in
very dogged and unconcerned way and the wndlass
or cylinder unros the little cargo with It's legs tangled
up ascends with many jerk and creak, while the
chatter Of the people passes a shrill jubilant roar


Hold up Reverse the mule power" says the Pro.
fessor; 1--WE have forgotten the flags"


1T isn't the flags" soys the old gentleman; lit is
the valye.rope"


They put above Ms tie tri.co.ors. as II we were
military execution and the conductor. with bis feet In
the netting like a sailor in the rigging waved one Of
the pennons very much eagle might shake bis
plumes with five miserable lambs in his talons the
way TO supper AT his cyrie.


There was FIRST swinging TO end fro, which prom.


sed to increase until We had gained the largest
tain, and then TO chuck all out across the horizon.
Afterward there a sort Of grating nnder the car
as if the rope which tied us being gnawed away;
and finally, there was sort Of protest and grumblc n
the silken boiler overhead. which appeared to have
cramp in its distended stomach and was on very bad
terms with itself all the time.


So we went up aloft, and higher and more pitch.
ingy and with swing till all at once the grapne
parted the basket leaped like fish freshly hooked;
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