The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-05-19
The Babes in the Clouds.
A True American Story.
From ali the Year Round

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descended upon farm II the neighbour
hood of large market town in one Of
the Western States He was soon sur
rounded by curious group Of the farm.
er's family anu laborers, ali asking eager
questions about the voyage and the man
|agemant of the balloon. That, secured
! by an anchor and rope in the hands Of
the aeronaut, its car but foot or two
above the ground, was swaying lazily
backward and forward in the evening air
1t was a good deal ont of wind, and was
a sleepy and innocent monster in the ewes
of the farmer, who, wi Ii the owners per
mission, led it up to his house, where, as
he said, he could hitch it, to the fence
But before he thus secured it, his three
children, aged respectively 10, s and 3
begged MIN to lift them into that big
basket, that they might sit on those
pretty red cushions While the atten-
ton OF the aeronau; was diverted by
more curious questioners from neigh.
boring farm, this rash father lifted his
darllngs, one by one, into the car. Club
by little Johny proved the 'nunce too
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 was
too great for the monster. The volatile
creatures spirits rose at once, he icrked
the halter out Of the farmers hand, and
1 with bound mounted into the AIR! VAN
/ was the aer0naut's anchor. 1t caught
for a moment in fence, but it tore away,
and was off, dangling uselessy after the
runaway balloon, which so swi thy and
steadily rose that, in Il few minutes, those
two little white faces peering over tie
edge of the car grew ndistinct, and those
piteous cries of 'Papar Mamma? grew
fainter and fainter up in the air.ae.
When distance and twilight mists had
swallowed up voices and faces, and Moth
ling could be seen but tint dark, cruel
shape, sailing trump hantly away with
ITS precious booty like an aerial priva
teer, the poor father sank down helpless
and speeches. q but the mother, frantic
with grief, still stretched her yearning
arms toward the inexorahle heavens, and.
called wildly up into the unanswering
The aeronaut stroye to console the
wretched parents with assurances that the
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 deep water or in woods.
In the event of its descending in favor
able 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. Ha
All no. replied the mother, Jennie.
would never stir from the car without
johnny in her arms 7
The balloon passed directly over the
market town, 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 almost have thought the translated
little creatures small angel navigators on
some voyage of discovery, some little
cherubic adventure of their own, as head
ing toward the rosy cloudlands and pur-
pie islands of sunset splendcr, they sailed
deeper into the west, and faded away.
When tue sunlight all went away, and
the great comet came blazing out, little
Johnny was apprnhensive that the comet
might come too near the airy craft, and
set it on fire with whisk of its dreadful
tail. But when his sister assured him
that the fiery dragon was as much as
twenty miles away and that God would
not let him hurt them, he was tranquil
lied, but soon afterwards said, / wish
he would come little nearer, SO ! could
warm myself am so cold :
Then Jennie took off her apron, and
wrapped it about the child, saying ten,
deIly:
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
have my supper? asked little Johnny
Sister hasn't any supper for you or
herself, but we must pray all the harder
solemnly responded Jennie.
So the two baby wanderers, alone in
the wide heavens, unawed by darkness,
immensely and silence, by the presence
of the great comet, and the millions of
IMPLYING stars, lifted their little clasped
hands and sobbed out their sorrowful
Our Father and then that quaint little
supplementary prayer
g. Now lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep,
II should die before 1 wake
pray the Lord my soul to take
There God heard that easy :. for we
are close to him up here said innocent
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 lean
ing 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
1 j q Il