The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-01-19
THE BABES IN THE CLOUDS.
AN AMERICAN TRUE STORY.


burst upon the Western World mag
nifcent stranger from the foreign parts,
'with all his travelling glories on " 1t
was the grand comet of 1858, on the
grand tour of the universe.
It seemed strange that pretty hnman
life could go on as usual with its eating
and drinking, toiling. trafficking and
pleasuring, while that flaming minister
on his billion leagued circuit, was preach
ing the wonders of immensity and power
and the nothingness of earth. But
scienc has robbed celestial apparitions
of their old portentous significance.
The comet no longer runs his kindling
race, like Vich Alpine's henchman with
his fiery cross. announcing war and dis
aster-
Herald of battle, fate and fear,
he is on his own business, not ours.
Under the tale of this particular comet
dubtless many tale of love was told
in the light Of his swift splendors many
4 tender look exchanged. The astrono-
aner coolly swept the starry field with
his glass, uaawed by the irregular night
guard, patrolling the heavens, and the
robber and the murderer, disdained
the awful witness. He left us as
ne found us-joined to our mortal idols,
wise in our own conceit, weak, worldly
and wicked, but no castaways of the
univ erse after all.
We remember that comet summer, not
SO much for its great astronomical event
as for two incidents that more nearly
touched our human sympathies, which
wiR grovel in poor earthly affairs, even
in sight of the most august celestial
phenomena.
One pleasant Saturday afternoon dur
ing the comet appearance, an @ronaut,
after a prosperous voyage, descended
upon farm in the neighborhood of a
large market town in one of the Western
States He was soon surrounded by a
curious gronp Of the farmers family
and laborers, all asking eage questions
about the voyage and management of
the balloon. That, secured by an an
Choir and q rope in the hand OF the eron
aut, it's car but foot OF two above the
ground, was sWaying lazily backward
and fOrw ard in the evening air. It was
a good deal out of the wind, and was a
sleepy and innocent monster in the eyes
Of the farmer, who, with the owner 8
permission, led it up to his house, where,
as he said, he could hitch it to his fence.
But before he thus secured it, his three
children, aged respectively ten, eight,
and three, begged him 10 lift them into
that big b..sket, that they might sit on
those pretty red cushions.
While the attention of the aronaut
was diverted by more curious questions
from neighiroring farm, this rash father
lifted his darlings one by one into the
car. Chubby little Johnny proved the
| ounce too much for the 9rial camel
and brought him to the ground; and
then, unIuckily, not the baby, but the
eldest hope OF the family was lifted out
The relief was too great for the monster
The volatile creatures spirits rose a,
once, he jerked his halter out of the
farmers hand and with wild bound
noun ted into the air Vain was the
@reonaut's anchor. It caught for mo.
| ment to fence but it tore away and was
off. dangling uselessly after the runaway
balloon, which so swiftly and steadily
rose that in a few minutes these two lit
tie white faces peering over the edge OF
the car grew distinct, and those piteous
cries os Papa y Mammal grew fainte,
! and fainter up in the air.
When distance and twilight mists had
swallowed up voices and faces, apd
nothing conld be seen but dark, crue
shapes, sailing triumphantly away with
its precious booty like an aerial privateer
| The poor father sank down helpless and
speechless; but the mother, frantic with
grief, still stretched her yearning arms
toward the inexorable heavens, and call
| ed wildly up into the unanswering void
| The Rronaut strove to console the
wretched parents with assurances tha
the ballon would descend within thirty
miles of the town, and hat all might b,
well with the children, provided it die
not come down in water or in deel
woods. In the event Of its descending
in favorable spot, the thought that th
elder might step out and leave tn
younger in the balloon. Then it mi gh
again arise, and continue its voyage.
.Ah, no. replied the mother, 'Jenni
Johnny in her arms.
The balloon passed directly over tn
market town, and the children seeing
great many people in the streets, stretch
ed out their hands and cried loudly fo