NOTEBOOK

Weeks in a Balloon" came out and consequently this
sketch wasn't finished.

It seems too bad now that it should have been
dropped. Its resemblance to Verne's tale would
probably not have been striking, and the interest
and atmosphere of the beginning makes us wish
to see more.

The reader may consider a few paragraphs:

John L. Morgan of 111., a farmer and a man of good
reputation, told me the following a few weeks ago while
I was visiting at his house. I give it as he gave it to me.
He said:

"In January, 3 winters ago, we had a heavy snow-
storm. It lasted the best part of 3 days, and at the end
of that time it lay on the ground 15 inches deep. The
prairie in front of my house, as far as the eye could
reach, was a level plain of snow. The roads were covered
up. There was no sign of hoof or track or road. About
noon 2 days after the snow had ceased falling, I walked
out, intending to go to a grove of large timber which
stood, a solitary landmark on the prairie, some 400 or 500
yards from my house. When I had proceeded halfway, I
suddenly came upon a man lying on the snow. He was
insensible. The snow was broken as if he had fallen there
and then rolled over once. He had on heavy brogan shoes,
somewhat worn, a sort of gray striped knit nightcap, on
his head, and wore a shirt and pantaloons of grayish
striped stuff. He did not look like an American. He
seemed to be an invalid, for he was very much emaciated.
This is a runaway scrape, I thought. He was too weak to
hold his horse and has been thrown from a wagon or from
a saddle. I knelt down and placed my hand on his heart
to see if it were still beating, and very naturally glanced
around, half expecting my eye to fall upon the horse or

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