The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-10-05
More about the Chsrdren In the Bnl.

mere about inc SnstuFen II sAc D0a
lOOns
Mr. s. N. Brooks, the aronaut, communicate
the following PARTICULARS TO the 81. Louis Dem
ocfat:-
Ar. Brooks was TO buye ascended from tn
Fair Grounds at Centralia on Friday, the lit
inst, but finding himself unwell, accepted IN
offer Of another aronaut, Mr.. Wilson, VIII
volunteered to take bis place in the balloon
Mr.. Wilson effected beautiful ascent, at s.
p.m., foated westward and then south eastward
rising two aud hall miles, and 1t about 6a .
m. descended, sixteen miles south-eastward Q
the starting point. He was caught by . tree
about forty-ive rods from the farm house o.
Mr. Benjamin Harvey. The spot is some two
miles and half from Rome, Jefferson County
Mr.. Harvey ard his family, and others, gather
ed, and disentangled the air ship. They then
pulled the car tosthe ground and some boys
held the ropes as the voyageur alighted and
while he was drawn off in conversation with the
inquistive people. The balloon was "toxed'
| TO the house, and Mr.. Harvey prepared TO have
some sport BY rising the length Of the rope, to
| be pulled down. Proving too heavy to rise, he
| stepped out and put in his three children, a
| lad Of thr ee years, girl Of eight, and still
| older girl. At this point Mr.. Wilson called out
to those holding the rores to be sure to hold
fast. But the three children were too heavy,
and the Oldest was taken out. At this instant,
through the unwatchfulness Of the persons at
the cords, the ballon suddenly and very swiftly
went up! The anchor struck in a rail fence,
but tore it away, while . cry Of horror burst
from the agonized group. The children scream
ed with horror, aud the piteous appeal "Pull
me down, father |" as i. instantly grew fainter
rendered the parents, and indeed all present,
for the time perfectly frantic. Il was now past
hoco Jar md fhoh hal.
loon was soon lost sight Of A period Of more
intense wrctchedness to th1 parental heart, can
scarcely be imagined.
As there was little wind the balloon had gone
almost directly upward, till its disappearance in
a southeasterly course. Messengers were des
patched through that region in every direction,
ana the alarm spread rapidly, creating every
where the lntensest excitement. III all quarters
the men aud boys rallied in parties to scour the
country and search the woods, in the cxpecta-
ton that the victims would somewhere descend
and De subjected to the perils Of drowning, or
else starving undiscovered.
At Crntraa the intelligence caused an inies
cribabie sensation. The popular anxiety
most agony-cAlled out Mr.. Brooks, who assured
the people that the balloon would probably
descend within two or three hours, ana within,
al most thirty miles of the point Of starting
He also sent 70 the distracted parents the best
assurances possible in the case, informing them
that there would be no danger except from
descent in the woods, when The children might
be, with difficulty found, and from the older
chi!ds hrst stepping out and leaving the yong
er again to rise. Apart from these perils, in
themselves improbable, Mr.. Brooks appreh, nd
Cd no danger to the little voyagers. Yet the
idea became current that they must encounter
a frigid atmosphere which they could not sur.
vive.
twas about three o'clock on Saturday morn
ing that Mr.. lgnatious Atchison, living on
Moors prairie, eight miles from Mount Vernon,
got up, as he says, and went out upon the
porch ITO see the blazing star,"-the comet.
An immense spectre rising from a tree, about
~ yards distant. rather appalled, him, aud he re
entered the house, and wakened his iamily-
On his coming out again, a weak and piteous
voice called to him from the spectre, Come
here and let US down; we're almost frozen -
Mr. Atchson speedily perceived the astonishing
nature OF the case, mustered help, cut away
several limbs OF the tree, and drew the car in
safety to the ground!
The little boy was first lifted out and when
placed upon his feet instantly ran for several
yards, then turned, and for moment contem-
plated the balloon with apparently intense Gu
riosiiy. Tue little. gifl told .her sorrows and
adventures With an almost broken heart, to
these people, who strangely indeed, had not
heard Of the disaster.
A messenger arrived at Mr.. Haryey's eighteen
miles distant, a, 2 pm. with the transporting
udiEss that the children were safe. We will
leave it to our readers heart to suggest the joy
which the intelligence caused. Il was late in
the afternoon when the little ones arrived and
were clasped once more in the embrace Of their
parents.
The happy result was received in Ccntralia,
and announced on Sunday morning in the
Churches annie ecstacies Q. joy. Tie children
were brough; there on Monday, and welcomed
with the firing OF cannon and a general jubilee.
Photographic portraits Of them were taken by
Mr.. William B. Matthews, Artist, in Centralia,
and variety Of presents were made to them
The girl is named Martha Ann, and her little
brother David Isam. She says that he soon
cried himself to sleep, and that she cried till
she slept little, and then she awakened in the
tree.
Mr.. Brooks afirms that the balloon must have
descended by eleven O'Clock Of Friday night,
and hence had remained in the tree till its dis
covery through the kindness Of the blazing
star" and the astronomical wakefulness of Mr..
Atchison.