A Fair Parachutist

Southland Times, Issue 10996, 27 July 1907, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Fair Parachutist

Miss l.emisa .Smith, the reigning belle of New Haven, has famished the world uitli fresh proof of the courage of the American woman. She was watching the preparations for a balloon ascent at Belleville recently, wlini one of her friends dared her to aci mnpan;. the parachutist. Without a seeund's hesilation, she approached the professional with a, request to aocom[aa\ him. "do ahead, if you have the ne!-\e," was (lie unexpected reply. Mias Smith borrowed A piece of elastic to fus-t.-n her dainty shirts just above her tan i.'inrs anil stopped promptly into the balloon basket beside the aeronaut. Friends .-.creamed their alarm, tint the daring young Indy coolly remarked, "I take 'd .re' from no one. Besides, ballooning is fa diionahle, and I'll now be in the aerial swim." Mack, the parachnlist, swiftly impart'd to her a, few words of necessary instruction. The balloon rose rapidly in a 1 i\civ breeze to 1300 feet. Then began l lie fail. Miss South's friends below ...tied hitter le-.irs of grief. Suddenly the youiy;- lady was observed to cut loose from the balloon and to grasp the bar of (lie Mg parachute, which Immediately spread out and descended slowly like a Idrd clu.'osing a place to alight. Friends sprang on amo tor-civ v and drove at breakneck speed towards the spill, to find 1 lie belle iying senseless beside 1 lie parachute on a railway track. \ ! the completion ot*bei' adventure she iiad fainted.