Year: 1866

| concluded to make the balloon fast for the day
and she was secured as Is customary when the
VINO olows nigh, with ten oneinch cables firmly
secured to the platform by ring and bolt.
The writer modest In most things, dares to
plead to fair allowance OF selt-conceIt on the
saDIect OF the weather. Most people are preco-
clous IN MS way. Those French philosophers,
tor instance, who promised us q cool summer,
ana told US the reason why. Theirs was @
scientific self conceit


The writer's, however, is only natural. He
Goes not say anything more. He only claims
that whens be says its going to blow, it blows.
he does not say II Is "Decause the equilibrium
OF the atmosphere has been disturbed by the
generation of moderate quantities of caloric
and eccentricity;n but he saws that "when big
clouds rise behind the wind after hot spell,
then look out for squalls"-and he looks out for
squalls, and they come. II the philosophers
said 1t the other way, there would De lead
cain for a month: just as after telling you that
owing to the prevalence of extraordinary fields
OF ice IN the extreme Polar regions, we we're
sure to have cool summer, and ON proof the
thermometer passes up to l04 degrees in the
shade


There is growing contempt for weather
prophets OF all kinds which augurs badly for
the almanac-makers. II you want to preserve
your character for sanity, don't presume to
know more than an old COW, who goes under
hedge an hour before the rain comes on. With
about as much know iedge-hence his concet of
it-as an experienced COW, the writer suggested
TO the balloon-keeper the propriety of "hattening
her out" by letting her gas off. He said it was
all right, that she would ride it; but it wasn't
all tight, as she didn't.


At 2'40 o'clock the tornado tumbed into the
anphitheatre and swung the huge ball about
III such way that it was evident that she would
break away from her moorings unless better
secured, and that speedily. Some twenty meu
belonging to the place, and as many more, hack
men, policemen, and spectators, rushed down
into the arena, and, laying hold of the ropes,
did their utmost to control the fury of the unruly
monster. Now dashing from side to side Of the
anDlltheatre. BWppDInp around whZZinp
IN its rotary motion; again stopping suddenly as
If tor breath, then leaping upwards to the utmost
tension OF her cable to dash down again; all the
while fnging the men about in the most uncom-
Portable manner Several of them were carried
up Ten and twelve feet and flung foundering on
the platform. Leslie seemed TO hold to her like
cat, and as if he were practising some new
feat, upon the success Uf which his future fame
depended.


A few moments, however, showed plainly that
neither balloon nor men could stand the tug
much longer, ard 1t was concluded to let the
gas out. The valve was opened accordingly,
and the gas began to escape. 1t might have
been better had the valve been let alone, but it
might also have been worse. The immediate
result OF the partial escape was OF course to
make concave that side pressed by the wind,
leaving her, IN this shape, still more at the
mercy OF the tornado. All control was now
lost, yet still the men clung on, rising and fall
PROSTATE on the platform, or the next moment
caught by the ropes and netting, and flung in a
way which was no longer amusing, but ex.
tremely perilous. Then came the last and final
''blow," bearing the now teroclous thing to
the extreme end OF the cables in the dlrec-
ton OF the Park: then suddenly shooting her up
in the ar, bursting the netting, liberaung her,
and flinging inseusible upon the platform poor
fellow who had clung on to his bread and bat.
ter to the last moment. Liberated from the
netting, the gas OF course expanded. and in a
second, even before sue had crossed Fifty-ninth
street, the balloon burst into fragments, and
was tcarried of into the Park like some un.
happy monster hurled headlong into Hades.


1t is scarcely fair, perhaps, 20 call the Park
Hades, but to make the smile good it must be
remem beIed that all this time there was only
light enough to see what was going on below
from the stand of the amphitheatre Sky and
all other surroundings were shut out by the i'm
peneTable cloud OF dust Some twenty of the
men ran after the fugitive, the Others gathering
around the poor fellow who had fallen. He had
held on in the last convulsive effort of the bal
loon for freedom, then raised some fourteen
feet from which height he was hurled upon his
head. He was quite insensible when he was
carried uD from the arena. He was, however,
carefully attended by Mr.. De Vera, the chemist
OF the establishment, and IN short time was
restored to consciousness. His face and head
were badly contusrd; MS hands, as those of the
other men, we're badly cut up with the ropes,
but, happily this is the sum OF his ills. When
last seen he was doing his share at blow
out" which was given to the wounded after the
"plow up"


Shortly after the tornado ceased, the men who
had followed the balloon through the torrent of
ram into the Park returned, bearing the rem
nants of the erratic globe, like lesser Aliases,
upon their shoulders, thoroughly drenched and
battered by the storm. AS they marched in,
CARRYING the sections of the huge wilted thing,
they looked as if they had found monstrous
whale in his native element, skinned him, and
brought away his hide in triumph.


Four or five days. 1t is supposed, will set all to
rights, as all of the balloon has been recovered
but the gas The man who went to look for that
has not come back, and they don't mean TO wait
for him.