The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1869-01-08

Ono pleasant Saturday afternoon
during the comets appearance, ten
years ago, aeronaht. after pros
perous voyage desccudcd upon
farm in the noirbborhooi Of a large
market town IN one Of tho Western
STATES. ilo was soon surrounded by
a curious group of farmers family
and IaSorers all asking eager qucs.
tons about the voyage and the man.
agomont Of the balloon. That, Sc.
cured By an anchor and a ropS In tho
hand of the aeronaut its ear bu.
foot or two above the ground, was
swaying lazily backward and forward
in tho evening air. It was Il good
deal out of wind, and was a sloopy
and innocent monster In the eyes of
the farmer, who, with the owners per
mission, led It up to his house, where,
as he said, he could hitch /, to
the fence. But before Lo thus Sc
cured II, his three children aged res
pectiyely ten, eight and three, beg
ged him to lift them [" into that big
basket" that they nigh. sit on
"those pretty red cushions While
the attention Of the aerouaut was di.
ver,ed by more curious quostioners
from neighboring farm this rash
father lifted his darliues one by ono
into The ear. Chubby little johnny
proved tho "ounee 100 much for
the aerial camel, and brought him to
the ground and then unluckily, not
the baby but the eldest hope Of the
family, was lifted out. The relief
too great for the monster. The vol
attic creatures spirit rose at once, he
jorkcd his haltor out Of the farmers
hand, and with n bound mounted
into the air Vain was the aero.
nauts anchor. Ii caught for mo
ment in fence, but il tore away, and
was of, dangling uselossly after the
runaway balloon, which swiftly and
steadily rose, that in few minutes
those two little white iacos poering
over the edge Of the ear grew indis.
tinot, and those Tateous cries Of |
Papa Mamma " grew faint |
and fainter, up in the air
When distance and twilight mists /
had swallowed up voices and faces,
and nothing could be seen but the |
dark cruel shape, sailing triumphant. |
| ly away, with its precious booty, like |
an aerial priyaleer, the poor father
sank down helpless and specifies |
but the mother, frantic with grief, |
still stretched her yearning arms
toward the memorable heavens, and |
called wildly up into the uuanswer.
ing void.
The neronaut strove to console the |
wrctehed parents with assurances tina,
the balloon would descend within
thirty miles Of the town, and that all |
might be well with the children, pro.
vided it did not come down in water
or deep woods. In tho event of its
descending in favorable spot, there
was but one danger to be apprehond-
ed he thought that the older child
might step cut leaving the younger
in the balloon. Then, it might
again rise and continue It's voyage.
=" All, no, replied the mother,
Jennie would never stir from tho
car without Johnny in hor arms "
Tho balloon passed directly over
the market town, and tho children
seeing many people in tho streets,
stretched out their hands and cried
loudly for help. But the villagers,
though they saw the bright, little
heads, heard no call.
Amazed at the strange appariion,
they might almost have thought the
translated littlo creatures small angel
nayigators on some voyage OF dis
eoyery, some little eherubio venture
Of their own, as, heading toward the
rosy cloud lands, and purple islands
of sunset splcndor, they, sailed deep
err into the west, and faded away.
Some company they had, poor liz
tie sky walls! Something comforted
them and allayed their wild terrors
something whispered them tina,
below the night and clouds was home
that above was God that wherever
they might drift or clash, living or
dead, they would still be in His do
main and under His care--that
tholgh borne away amongst the stars,
they could not be lost, for lis love
would follow them.
When the sunligh, all went away, /
and the grca. comet came blazing out, /
little Johnny was apprchehsiyc that
tho comet might como too near tho |
airy craft, and set it on FIRE with a /
whisk Of its dreadful tail. But when
his sister assured him that tho frey /
dragon was as much az twonty /
miles away, and that God wouldn't |
lot him hurt them, hn wa tranquil
lized, but soon ailrrwar said, " !
wish he would come a little nearer,
so ! could warm myself-i'm so
cold. -
Then Jennie took og her apron,
and wrapped it about the child, say
ing tendorly This is all sister has
to make YOU warm, darling, but
she'll hay you close in her arms AID
we will say our prayers and you shall
go 20 sleep
" Why, how can say my prayers,
before | have my SUPPER" asked
little Johnny.
Sister hash any supper for you
or herself, but We must pray all the
harder" solcmuly responded Jen-
ME
so the two baby. wanderers, alone
in the wi>a heaycne unawed by dark
ness, immensely and silence, by the
presence Of tho great comet and The
millions Of Implying stars, liltvd
their little clasped hands, and sob
bed out their sorrowiul. " Our
Father and then that quaint little