The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-11-13

they saiidd deeperand deeper into the
West and faded away. g IHHf
Some company they had. poor little
sky-waifs ! Something comtorted them,
and allayed their wild terrOrs-some-
thing whispered them that below tile
night aud clouds was home; that above
WAS God; that wherever they might
drift or clash. living or dead, they would
still be in His domain and under His
care-that though borne away among
the stars they could notbe lost, for HIS
love would follow them. a
When the sunlight all went away, and
the great comet came blazing out. li:tle
johnnie was apprchensive that the COM
ct might come too near their airy craft,
and set IL on fire with whisk of its
dreadful tail. But when his sister as
!sured him that that fiery dragon was "as
much as twenty miles away and that
God would not let him hurt them.. he
was tranquilized, but soon afterward
SAID, 81 wish he would ONE little
nearer, SO | could warm myself-I'm so
cold." 50 iH'stH
Then Jennie took off her apron. and
raped it about the child, saving ten
derly. 'sThs is all sister has to make you
warm, darling but she'll hug you close
ers and you shall go TO sleep"
s'Why. how can | say NY prayers be
tore have my supper9' asked little
Johnnie. s't
s"Sister hasn'tany supper for you. or
for herself, but we must pray all the
harder" solemnly responded Jennie.
So the two baby wanderers, alone in
the wide heavens, unawed by darkness,
immensity and silence, by the presence
of the great comet and the millions of
IMPLYING stars lifted their little clasp
ed hands, and sobbed out their sorrow
full '.Our Father," and then that quaint
little supplementary prayer: pig '..s
Now lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul 10 keep,
4if III should die before wake
t pray tbs lord my soul to take. 3
sThere God heard that, easy; for we
are close to Him. up here" said inno-
cent little Johnnie.
Doubtless Divine Love stopped to the
little ones, and folded them in perfect
.ce-for soon the younger, sitting on
| the bottom of the car, with his head
leaning against his sisters knee, slept
as soundly as though he were lying in his
own little bed at home; while the elder
watched quietly through the long, long
hours. and the car floa.ed gently on IN
the still night air, till it began to sway.
and rock on the fresh morning wind.
Who can divine that simple little
child's Il oughts. speculations, and wild
imaginings, while watching thro' those
hours? She may have feared coming in
collision with a meteor-for many were
abroad that night, scouts and heralds of
the great comet-or, perhaps, being cast
| 4 ,ka s,la
more dreary still, floating and floating
on, night and day, till they should both
die of cold and hunger. Poor babes in
the clouds ! .el
AT length, happy chance. or Provl-
dence-we will say Providence-guided
the little girls wandering hand TO a
cord connected with the valve; some
thing told her to pull it. At once the
balloon began to sink, slowly and gent
ly, as tho let down by tender hands; or
as though some celestial pilot guided it
through the wild currents of air, not
| letting it drop into lake, or river, lofty
wood, or impen,trable swamp, where
this strange unchild-like experience
/ might have been closed by a death oi
unspcakable horror but causing it to
descend as softly as bird alights on a
spot where human care and pity await
ed it.
The sun had not yet risen, but the
morning twilish had come, when the
little girl looking over the edge of the
car saw the dear old earth coming nea.
-srising toward them" she said. But
when the car stopped, to her great dis
appointments, it wasnot on the ground,
but caught fast in the topmost branches
of tree. ] Yet she saw they were near
house where help might soon come, SC
she awakened her brother and told him
the good news, and together they watch
ed aud waited for deliverance. huggin g
each other for joy and for warmth; for
they were very cold.
Farmer Burton. who lived in q lonely
house OH the edg. of his own private
prairie, was famous sleeperin in general,
Mt on this particular morning he awOke
before the dawn, and, though he turned
and turned again, he could sleep nc
more. so, at last, he said to his goOd
wife, whom he had kindly awakened to
inform her of his maccountable inson-
nolence. "1t's no use; I'll just get up
and dress, and have Il look at the com
et,p uu iH"
The next that worthy woman heart
from her wakeful spouse, was fright
seems that no sooner did she step fort
from, hls house, than his eyes fell on ;
strange portentous shape hanging IN !
large pear-tree, about twenty yards dis
tani. I lie could see in it no likeness t
, ANYTHING earthly, and he half lancied i
: might be the comet, who, having pu
/ out his light, had come down there u
perch. In his fright aud pcrplexity III
did what every wise man would do in
!. like extremity; he called on his valian
wife. Reinforced by her, he drew nea
file tree, cautiously accommodating
! Surely never pear-:ree bore such frult
| Suddenly :here descended from tn
? | thing plaintive trembling little voice
9 "Please take us down. We arc yer
] cold!'
: Then a second little voice. can
. hungry, too. Please take us down J"
Why, who are you? And where ar
4 your" ,u
: Mr.. Harwood's little boy and girl, an
/, we are lost in balloon"
i The second little voice said: sits u;
n and we are running away with bal
:, loon, Please take US down"
r Dimly con1prehending the Situation
e the farmer getting hold of danglll
c rope, succeeded in pulling down til
balloon.
o He first lifted out little Johnnie, vii
t ran rapidly a few yards towards I'll
= house, then turned round, and stood fC
It a few moments. curiously surveying III
t balloon. The faithful little sister WI
d so chilled and exhausted that she had
q be carried into the house, where, tren
e bling and sobbing, she told her wonde
It full story ......-....... ,.E
= Before SUNRISE mounted messeng
!, was dispatched to the Harwood hous