Year: 1872

and the largest balloon vas to ascend
our rope, too, was to be heightened to
thirty feet, and at that distance below tho
car VIC we're to swing about as usual.


You may say we ought to have been
used to it by this time; there are things,
though, which you never get used to, try
how you nay, and this was one Of them.


The bands we're playing away their
best the people were looking at the
half dozen 1ronauts who were to ascend
the manager of the balloon was there
the signal was given. and the people got
10. Then the bal Don was allowed to rise
SO high that our balloon SWING clear,
when l hung from it by my legs, holding
a crossbar in my hands, over which Tom
threw his lesa, and hung head downwards
and then away We went, up, up through
the soft evening, so slowly that Toms
hands touched the top of ore Of the elm
trees al he waved about couple of flags.


Our custom was to hang quite still till
We were up four or five hundred feet, and
81 ~ We did now, when Tom pitched
away the flags. aud We went through our
tricks, rising higher and higher, with the
faces Of the dense crowd getting mixed
into confused mass, and the strains Of
the band growing fainter and fainter, till
all below was mingled in faint hum.


We had only one more trick to DO, and
that was to cast loose the bar and each
man swing by his own rope. l had loos.
eued my end, the perspiration streaming
down me the while. and Tom had done
the same, when swinging around toward
me with q horrible white face, he ex.
claimed, ben, old man, I'm going to
fall!"


It's no use couldn't tell you how
felt then if had tried ever so much only
that in half second saw Tom lying
horrible corpse far below; and felt so
paral zed that l thought should have to
let 60 of my own rope and fall myself.
l could act, though, and did, for in
fash had given myself o jerk forward,
and thrown myself against Tom, fliugiug
my legs around him and holding him
tightly; and then, tired as l was, I felt
that | had double weight to sustain, for
Toms rope was swinging to and fro, and,
as my legs clung around his body, his
head hung down, and | knew he must
have tainted.


How l managed to hold I cant tell
now, for though weak with all had done,
| managed to give hoarse cry for help,
and the next moment l heard cry Of
horror from the basket work car.


Then | felt the rope begin to jerk as
ha hnn tn han I
to Shrek cut, mo mol" for if they had
hauled any longer they must have jerked
poor Tom from my hold.


often asked myself whether it was
half an hour or only few seca nds before
| saw q rope lowered with big running
moose, aud then I've a misty notion Of
having set my teeth fast on the rope, as
l felt dreadful weight as of lead, drag.
ging at me. Then felt that it was all
over, and I knew that had been the
death of poor Tom, for he had seemed to
fall, as felt the rope by which l hung
jcrked again violently. l saw the earth
below like o map, and the golden clouds
up above the great net. covered ball, and
then o mist swan before my eyes, and
all seemed black and thick as night.


When | came to I was lying on my
back in the car, with Q man pouring
brandy between my lips. Ny first words
we're gasped out in husky tone, for I
did not know where l was and then
remember bursting out into quite .
shrek as cried "where's Tom p


"Hers, old man." he said, for they had
managed to drag US both into The car /;
and for tho next hour We sat there shiv-
sring, saturated with cold psrsplration,
even the men in the car being silent. un.
nerved, as I suppose, by our narrow ss.
cape.


Tom wanted to 60 again, but I wouldn't
let him. II did not trsmbls," hs said
"it was only a sudden fit Of giddinsss
through being uuwell"


went up though many times after.
ward alone, on horses and on bulls and
{ meant to have car on flying swans for
q grand hit, when Government stepped in
and put stop to it; aud, 40 said before,
very sorry was, for it was my living.
San Francisco Dair recently eloDipD