Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1910 — AN UNLUCKY AERONAUT. [ARTICLE]

AN UNLUCKY AERONAUT.

A little incident which, thanks to the delightful way in which it is told, is not wholly depressing, in spite of its tragic side, is quoted by Alfred E. Pease, from a letter of his Quaker great-grandfather, Edward Pease. As an Illustration of' the old gentleman’s caution of expression and description, as well as his sensitiveness as regards responsibility, the extract is worth preserving. It deals with a balloon ascension. It is to ascend from my small Herd next to my garden, so that you Could have seen It very nicely, and the gentleman who goes up with it. I did not much like to let him have my field for the purpose, and told him I must have time to consider of It, before I could give him leave,'as he •might fall down and break his neck, and then I should be ready /o consider some of the blame would rest on me. He Bald.he had .been up one hundred and fourteen times, and did not fear. ~ 1 wished him to look for another place, and would give him half a sovereign to have nothing to do it. As he could pitch on no other spot, and finding It, would be a great ■'disappointment to him and the townspeople, I reluctantly gave leave, telling him I would not take any pay for the use of the field, should he be killed by falllhg from a very great height, as a gentleman at Newcastle once did, 1 would be clear of It. The gentleman I have Just named was to hold down the balloon nntlj it it was ready to be let off, and being busy cracking nuts, he tied the string round his arm, so when it went up he was entangled In the string, and when so high as to be almost out Of sight his arm got loose/and he dropped down, feet foremost, Into a garden, but foil with so much force he sunk up to the knegs in the earth and was quite dead.