Fune, 1851. A RASH LADY. The Revue des Deux Mondes records a trip taken by M. Godard, in the "Eagle" balloon, his companion, Madame the Comtesse de S., Count Alexis de Pomereu, and a friend. The air was calm and the sky pure, the party in high spirits and without the least thought of danger. "Not one of us," said M. Matzneff, "felt any acceleration in the beating of his heart," and for a long time they enjoyed the panoramic view of the great city beneath, which inspired the sentiment. Viewing human things from such a height, one feels that life is more insignificant and nature greater, the instinct of preservation recalling to the earth, but still more powerful the attraction toward the sky." 66 These contemplations were interrupted by the lady, who, in sportive humour, amused herself by causing the car to "oscillate capriciously" with sudden shocks, and "at times leaning over the edge, defying the abyss, and seriously compromising our equilibrium. At last, yielding to the respectful injunctions of the party, she consented to relinquish her experiments." After this they dined "as comfortably as in one of the saloons of the Frères-Provençaux," and drank healths and talked of the possibility of directing balloons until it was time to descend. As they approached the earth, the guide-rope, 150 metres long, was lowered, and "seized by some labourers, who drew us without a shock to the middle of their field, near the village of Bussy-leLong, distant about sixty-six miles from Paris, the journey having occupied three hours and a half." 1852.-PARACHUTE, GOVERNED BY WINGS, IN WHICH In My Life and Balloon Experiences, by Mr. Henry Coxwell, he relates "that in 1854 he made an ascent with the late Mr. B. O. Conquest and Mr. John Allan, from London, and as they did not wish to go far from home the descent was made at Barnet. "A farmer was asked to take a glass of Mr. Conquest's champagne. No,' said he, 'hang your wine; I want your money.' 'What for? 'What for!' he replied, why, damages!' 'Damages! where are they to be found?' Said the farmer: 'Do you think that a lot of people can come into my field without doing mischief? I want to be paid.' I whispered Mr. Conquest that he had better get out and work his way home as best he could, so I let off a quantity of gas, and asked two or three men to hold on, and then asked the farmer to prove damages and not imagine it. 'That can be done presently,' he replied. 'I want £3, and I shall 1857.--LE BRIS. THESE WINGS WERE LOWERED stick to you and your balloon until it is paid.' Mr. Conquest cried out, 'Hands off there! I'll settle this matter.' In a trice up shot the balloon, leaving the farmer amazed. He at once pounced on Mr. Conquest, who replied: 'I am only a passenger, and merely require twelve good men and true, at a shilling apiece, to show me the way to the railway station.' 666 Here you are, sir, to any number; and as to that greedy hound, if he lays hands on you or interferes in any way, we'll duck him in our horse-pond. This way, sir, for the up train, no one shall harm you.' "So the old selfish farmer was done." Fiction. THE BABES IN THE CLOUDS. COMETS AND BALLOONS. (AN AMERICAN STORY.) "The year 1858 was the Great Comet year. "One pleasant Saturday afternoon during the comet's appearance, an aëronaut, after a prosperous voyage, descended upon a farm near a large market town in one of the Western States. He was soon surrounded by a group of the farmer's family and labourers. The rope with anchor was in the hand of the aëronaut, its car but a foot or two above the ground. The farmer led the balloon to his house and said he could hitch it' to his fence, but before he thus secured it his three children, aged 10, 8, and 3, begged him to lift them into that big basket' that they might sit on those pretty red cushions,' "The aëronaut's attention was diverted by curious questioners from a near farm, and the rash father lifted his darlings one by one into the car. Chubby little Johnny proved 'the ounce too much' for the machine and brought it to the ground, and then, unluckily, not the baby, but the eldest hope of the family was. lifted out. The relief was too great for the monster; it rose, jerked the rope out of the farmer's hand, and with a wild bound mounted into the air! Two little white faces peeping over the edge of the car, whose piteous cries of Papa!'Mamma!' grew fainter and fainter up in the air. The father and mother were frantic with grief; the aëronaut strove to console them, saying: 'The balloon would come down.' "Jennie, the eldest, took off her apron and wrapped it about the child, saying tenderly : This is all sister has to make you warm, darling, but she'll hug you close in her arms, and we will say our prayers and you shall go to sleep.' So the two baby wanderers, alone in the wide heavens, unawed by the presence of the great comet and the millions of unpitying stars, sobbed out 'Our Father,' and that quaint prayer 666 Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; 'There, God heard that easy, for we are close to him up here,' said little Johnnie. Soon |