red lights, fixed fireworks instead to hers. A wire rope
ten yards long was suspended to her car; at the bottom of this wire
rope was suspended a broad disc of wood, around which the fireworks were
ranged. These consisted of Bengal and coloured lights. On the 6th
of July, 1819, there was a great fete at Tivoli, and a multitude had
assembled around the balloon of Madame Blanchard. Cannon gave the signal
of departure, and soon the fireworks began to show themselves. The
balloon rose splendidly, to the sound of music and the shoutings of the
people. A rain of gold and thousands of stars fell from the car as
it ascended. A moment of calm succeeded, and then to the eyes of the
spectators, still fixed on the balloon, an unexpected light appeared.
This light did not come from under the balloon, where the crown of
fireworks was already extinguished, but shone in the car itself. It
was evident that the lady aeronaut, although now so high above the
spectators, was busy about something. The light increased, then
disappeared suddenly; then appeared again, and showed itself finally at
the summit of the balloon, in the form of an immense jet of gas. The
gas with which the balloon was inflated had taken fire, and the terrible
glare which the light threw around was perceived from the boulevards,
and all the Quartier Montmartre.

It was at this moment--a frightful one for those who perceived what had
taken place--that a general sentiment of satisfaction and admiration
among the spectators found vent in cries of "Brava! Vive Madame
Blanchard!" &c. The people thought the lady was giving them an
unexpected treat. Meantime, by the light of the flame, the balloon was
seen gradually to descend. It disappeared when it reached the houses,
like a passing meteor, or a train of fire which a blast of wind suddenly
extinguishes. A number of workmen and other persons, who had perceived
that some accident had taken place, ran in the direction in which the
balloon appeared to descend. They arrived at a house in the Rue de
Provence. On the roof of this house the balloon had fallen, and the
unfortunate Madame Blanchard, thrown out of the car by the shock, was
killed by her fall to the earth.

This news spread rapidly from Tivoli, where it occasioned a stupefying
surprise. It was the first time that a fall of the kind had taken place
from the sky at Paris. Fireworks were from this time discontinued, the
fete came to an end, and a subscription was rapidly