Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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16 DEBRIS. c Iu I-abi tod North America in prehistor- ic ages. We walked a short distance away from the airship, examining the dif- ferent specimens of plants, and were about to return when we were start- led by a great crash behind us. We glanced back hastily to see if any- thing had befallen the airship, but it was not there. Moreover a thin col- umn of vapor seemed to be rising from the spot we had just left. Hushing back frantically we found a heap of burning rubbish underneath where the airship had been. We were stunned; we could not realize the en- ormity of the disaster which had be- fallen us. Illlndly extinguishing the blaze to save the remainder of the silk of which the bag had been com- posed. in the vain hope of being able to use it again. I happened to notice a hole in the ground about eight inch- es in diameter which I had not seen before, and which seemed to be fresh- ly made. Not for a long time, how- ever. did I guess the truth; a meteor had struck the bag and exploded the gas. Imagine our situation! Separated from civilization by a barrier which had hitherto proved insurmountable, and with our only means of returning destroyed in the most unbelievable manner imaginable, we had good cause to despair. When we were finally able to real- ize what the disaster meant to us. we both sat on the ground for many hours incapable of thought or motion. Then an idea struck my mind. With the assistance of my brother I crudely fashioned some of the silk from the demolished bag into the shape of a small balloon. I then soak- ed it in some of the preparation which I had discovered in my laboratory at St. l.ouis. the bottle of it which I had brought on the expedition having mi- raculously escaped breakage in the disaster. We had also brought a quantity of sulphuric acid with us. which we thought might be needed in soldiering some parts of the engine in case anything went wrong. The bottle containing this had fallen on some waste, and thus had also escap- ed being broken. We had consider- bly more than we should have need- ed for the purpose for which it had been brought, but a miserable pit- tance for what I now intended to use it. I improvised a gas generator into which I put some bits of broken iron from the engine, and poured over it the acid. We collected the escaping gas in the crude balloon, and to our satisfaction obtained a sufficient amount to fill it. We then closed the opening in it by means of a tightly- tied string, and I am writing this com- munication with the intention of en- closing it in a bottle, attaching the bottle to the little balloon, and trust- ing to Providence that favorable winds may blow it into hands where it will be understood. I realize that there is not one chance in a million that this will happen, but if it should do so. I desire the reader to communi- cate with Mr. Henry H. Manteli, of Cleveland. Ohio, or Mr. Robert P. Cannon, of Dayton. Pennsylvania. ! desire another expedition to be fitted out similar to the one my brother and I have undertaken, for the pur- pose of rescuing us from the position in which we find ourselves, and am willing to defray all the expenses of the undertaking. While there Is no danger of starving here, owing to the life sustaining fruits, etc., to be found, yet I fear the solitude will be- fore long drive us insane. We shail at once proceed to gather a supply of wild nuts and vegetables, and to erect a shelter for the long winter night, which will naturally bring us to a state of infinite gloom and despair, yet which I anticipate will not be ex- tremely cold, since the warmth hero comes from within, rather than from without the earth. Kindly use your inllucnce toward a speedy rescue, and remain forever the benefactor of Your humble servant. CASSIUS H. SMITH. Elwood Butler, ’09. Guess Who This Space Belongs to ♦ RUDOLPH RISING Fashionable Merchant $ Tailor. Ready-Made Clothing and Gents' Furnishing Goods. No. 133 West Main St. LANCASTER, OHIO.

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I V THE FACULTY. Top Row—Miss Ktliel Musser. Mr. ('. C. McCracken, Miss Lacy Perfect, Mr. L. I). Thomas, Miss Thomas. Lowkk Row—Miss Mabel Curtiss, Mr. J. Hawk, Miss Anna Davidson, Supt. H. A. Cassidy, Prin. W. C. Brashares