Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-01-28
ght 5sturp Geiier.
THE BABES IN TEE CLOUDS +;

THE BABES IN TEE CLOUDS;
COMETS AND BALLOONS, =
Just ten years ago, there suddenly burst upon
the Western world, d magnificent stranger from
foreign parts, 'withaH histrsSeaing glories on. "
It was the great comet of 1858, on the grind tour
of the universe. ,r SIS
It seemed strange that petty human life could
20 on as usual, with its eating aud drinking, toing,
trafhckiag and pleasuring, while that faming
minister" on his billion-lesgued circuit, was
preaching the wonders of infinite immensely and
power, and the nothingness of earth. But science
has robbed celestial apparitions Of their old por-
tentous significance. The comet no longer runs
his kindlng race, ike Vich-Apine's henchman,
with his fiery cross, announcing war and disaster,
Herald Of barte, fate, and fear.
He is on his own business; not ours.
Under the tail of this particular comet doubtless
many tale of love was told in the light Of his
swift splendors many tender look exchanged.
The astronomer coolly swept the starry field with
his glass, unawed by the irregular nightguard pat
rolling the heavens, and the robber and murderer
disdained the awful witness he left us as he
found us-joined to our mortal idols-wise in our
oonceit, weak, and worldly, and wicked, but no
castaways of the universe, after ALL
We remember that cometsummer, not so much
for its great astronomical event, as for two singular
incidents that more nearly touched our human
sympathies, which will gTovel in poor earthly at
fairs, even within sight Of the most august celes-
tial phenomena. :.
One pleasant Saturday afternoon during the
comets appearance, an seronaut, after prosper
ous voyage, descended upon farm in the neigh
borhood of a large market town, in one of the
Western States. He was soon surrounded by a
curious group of the farmers family and laborers,
all asking eager questions about the voyage and
the management of the balloon. That secured by
an anchor and rope in the hand Of the seronaut,
its car but foot or two above the ground, was
swaying backward and forward in the evening arr.
II was a good dead out of wind, and was sleepy
and innocent monster in the eyes Of the farmer,
who, with the owners 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 to lift them Into that big basket, y
that they might sit on ''thosepretty red cushions -
While the attention of the eronaut was diverted
BY some curious questioners from neighboriug
farm, this rash father lifted his darlings, one by
one, into the car. Chubby little Johnny proved
the "ounce too much, (" for the serial camel, and
brought him to the ground and then, unluckiy,
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 at
once, he jerked his halter out Of the farmers
hand, and with wild bound mounted into the air.
Vain was the eronauts anchor. 1t caught for q
moment in fence, but it tore away, and was of,
dangling selessy after the runaway balloon, which
80 swiftly and steadily rose that in few minutes
those two little white faces, peering over the edge
Of the car grew indistinct and those piteous cries
of 'sPapa" Mamma p grew faint and fainter,
up in the air
up voices and faces, and nothing could be seen but
that dark cruel shape, sailing triumphantly away,
with its precious booty, like an serial priyateer,
the poor father sunk down helpless and speechless;
but the mother frantic with grief, stu stretched
her yearniug arms toward the inexorabe heavens,
and called wildly up into the unanswering void
The eronaut strove to console the wretched pa
rents with assurances that the balloon would de-
scend within thirty miles of the town, and that al
might be well with the children, provided it did
not come down in water or in deep woods. In the
event of its descending in favorable spot, there
was but one danger to be apprehended; he thought
that the elder child might step out leaving the
younger in the balloon. Then, it might again rise
and continue its voyage >,
"Ah no." replied the mother, JENNIE would
never stir from the car, without Johnnie In bel
arms"
The balloon passed directly over the town, ano
the children seeing many people in the streets
stretched out their hands and cried loudly tor help
But the villagers, though they saw the bright little
heads, heard no call ...
Amazed at the strange apparitiou, they might
almost have thought the translated little creatures
small angel navigators on some voyage OF discoVe
ry, some little cherubic venture of their OVID, as
heading toward the rosy cloud-lands and purple
islands of sunset splendor, they sailed deeper anc
deeper into the west, and faded away.
Come cVlupauy Suey ndu, poOf llttle eAy-Hdiie!
Something comforted them, and allayed their wild
terrors- something whispered them, that below
the night and clouds was home; that above wa
God that wherever they might drift or clash, liv
ing or dead, they would still be in His domain, ant
under His care-that though borne away among
the stars, they could not be lost, for His low
would follow them. -
When the sunlight all went away, and the grea
comet came blazing out, little Johnnie was appre
hensive that the comet might come too near thel
airy craft, and set it on fire with a whisk Of it
dreadful tail. But when his sister assured hin
that that fiery dragon was ''as much as twent
miles away" and that God wouldn't let him hur
them, he was tranquiized, but soon afterward said
'I wish be would come little nearer, so coul
warm myseH-I'm 50 cold"