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a cupola bristling with lightning rods on the top of barns, but most barns with which I came in contact were decorated in that manner. The balloon struck the barn and proceeded to roll itself up and over the roof, carrying the basket and me with it. The balloon proper was pinioned on a lightning rod; a large hole was ripped almost instantly deflating it. As the basket rolled over the roof of the barn, I was pitched out head first on to a manure pile! (Father should have seen me then!) I pulled myself together and felt thankful for my good luck, although I did not like the manure.

The family living at the farm was not at home, but with the aid of the hired man, I recovered the balloon and equipment and he drove me back to the fair. On the way back I slept in the jostling wagon but on arrival at the grounds I was still so tired and sleepy that I could have slept for another day!

I had a new situation confronting me. The balloon had to be repaired, for on examination, I found a tear in the silk about ten feet long. This I mended with needle and thread, using an overcast stitch. I, then, smeared the repaired seam with a thick varnish which made it gas tight. Then I commenced the inflation. Several times during the night I was strongly tempted to take a nap, but realized it would prevent my being ready to earn my next day's pay for a flight.

By two PM I was nearly ready. Suddenly, I heard a crash of thunder. Looking up, I was alarmed to see a black cloud rapidly approaching and realizing that the balloon undoubtedly would be torn away in the high winds accompanying a severe thunderstorm, I quickly decided to ascend at once. It would be safer in the air than on the ground. The start was made under forbidding conditions-- black onrushing clouds, lightning flashing and a continuous roll of thunder. When I reached an altitude of about two thousand feet,