The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-11-19

balloon would descend within thirty miles |
of the town, and that all might be well |
with the children, provided it did not come
down in the water or in deep woods. In
the event of its descending in favorable
spot, it was thought that the older child
might step out, leaving the younger in the
balloon. Then it might again arise and
continue its voyage.
"Ah, no." replied the mother ''Jennie
would never stir from the car without
Johnny in her arms p
The balloon passed directly over the
market tower, and the children seeing
many people in the streets, stretched out
their hands and called loudly for help.
But the villagers, though they saw the
bright little heads, heard no call,
Amazed at the strange apParition they
might nave thought the translated little
creatures small angel navigators, on some
voyage of discovery, some little che.uolc
venture of their own, as heading towards
the rosy cloudlands and purple islands OF
sunset splendor, they sailed deeper and
deeper into the west, and faded away.
Some company they had, poor little
skywaifs. Something comforted them
and aliayed their wild terrors-something
whispered them that below the night and
clouds was home and 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
could not be lost, for His love would fol-
low them.
= When the sunlight all went away and
the great cometi~ came blazing out, little
Johnny was apprehensive RAJ RAJ ltle coii'et
might come too near their airy craft, and-
set it on fire with whisk of its dreadful
tail But when his sister assured him
that the fiery dragon was cas- much as
twenty miles away" and that God
wouldn't let him hurt them, he was tran
quilted, but soon after said, 81 wish he
would come a little nearer, SO L could
warm myself, Pm so cold!"
Then Jennie took off her apron and
wrapped it about the child, saying ten
derby, This is all sister has to make you
warm, darling, but she'll hug you close in
her arms, and we will say our prayers and
you shall go to sleep"
"Why, how can | say my prayers
before l have my supper p asked little
Johnny.
''Sister hasn't any supper for you, or for
herself, but we must pray all the harder"
solenniy 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 un-
plying stars, lifted their little clasped
hands and sobbed out their sorrowful
'tOur Father" and then that quaint little
supplementary prayer:
NOV l lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep;
If | should die before l wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take"
''There God heard that, easy; for
we are close to Him up here" said inno-
cent little Johnny
Doubtless Divine Love stopped to the
little ones, and folded them in perfect
peace-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 foated gently on in the
still night air, till it began to sway aud
rock on the fresh morning wind.
Who can imagine that simple little
childs thoughts, speculations and wild
imaginings, while watching through those
hours? She may have feared coming in
collision with meteor-for many were
abroad that night, scouts and heralds of
the great comet-or perhaps being cast
away on some desolate star island, or
more dreary still, floating and floating on,
night and day, till they should both die of
cold and hunger. Poor babes in the
clouds
At length, happy change, or Provi-
dence-we will say Providence-guided
the little girls wandering hand to cord
connected with the valve; something told
her to pull it. At once the balloon be-
gan to sink, slowly and gently, as though
let down by tender hands; or as though
some celestial pilot guided it through the
wild currents of air, not letting it drop
into lako, or river, lofty wood, or impene
trabIe swamp, where this strange, unchild-
like experience might have been closed by
a death of unspeakable horror but Gauss
ing it to descend as softly as bird alights,
on spot where human care and pity
awaited it.
The sun had not yet risen, but the
morning twilight had come, when the
little girl, looking over the edge of the car,
saw the dear old earth coming nearer
''rising towards them," she said. But
when the car stopped, to her great disap-
pointment, it was not on the ground, but
caught fast in the topmost branches of a
tree. Yet she saw they were near house
whence help might soon come, SO she
awakened her brother and told him the
good news, and together they watched
and waited for deliverance, hugging each
other for joy and warmth, for they were
cold,