Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-05-04
sal5fellnme0ns.
THE BABEs IN THE CLOUDS.
A True American Story.
! All the Year Ronnd.

comet s appearance, ten years ago, an
ronaut, after a prosperous voyage, des-
nded upon a farm in the neighnorhood
large market town in one of the West
a States. He was soon surrounded by
rious group of the farmers family and
borers, all asking eager questions about
g voyage and the management of the
lloon. That, secured by an anchor and
rope in The hands of the aeronaut, its car
It q foot or two, above the ground, was
aging lazjly backward and forehead in
g evening air.. 1t was q good deal out of
nd, and was Sleepy and innocent mon
sr IN the eyes of the sfaIller, who, with
. owners permission, led il up to his
use, where. as he said, he could hitch
to the fence. But before he thus secured
his three children, aged respectively 10, |
nd 3, begged him to lift them into that
basket, thai they might sit on. those
etty red cushions. While the attention
the aeronaut WAS diverted by more cur
S questioners from a neighboring farm,
rash father lifted his darlings, one by
2, into the car. Chubby little Johnny
9yed the ounce too much for the aerial
mel, and brought him to the ground;
then, unluekily, not the baby, but the
est hope of the family, was lifted out
= lVAiC1 HuS lNOf SIGd6 1OE- lllb ulOnSDpT.
volatile creature s spirits rose at once,
jerked the halter out Of the farmers
Id, and with bound mounted into the
Vain was the aeronaut's anchor Itl
ght for moment in fence, but it tore
y, and was off dangling uselessly after
runaway balloon, which so swiftly and
IDLY rose that, in a few minutes, those
little white faces peering over the edge
he 40. ind
cries of 'Papap Mammal grew fainter
upin the air.
hen distance and twilight mists and
lowed up voices and faces, and nothing
be seen but that dark, cruel shape. |
ng triUmphantly away with its precious
y, like an aerial. privateer, the poor
er sank down helpless and speechiess, |
the mother, frantic with grief, still |
iched her yearning arms toward the in
able heavens, and called wildly upinto
dnanswering void
le aeronaut strove to console thel
ehed parents with assurances that the
,on would descend within thirty miles
le town and that all might be well
the children. provided it did not come
1 in deep water or in woods. In the |
ofits descending in q favorable spot, |
was but one danger to be apprehend- |
le thought that the elder child might |
out, leaving the younger in the bal |
Then 1t might again rise and con-
its voyage.
], no, replied the mother, Jennie
1 never stir from the car without John |
her armsp
balloon passed directly over tue mar
town, and the children seeing many
lie In the streets, stretched out their |
and called loudly for help. But the |
gers, though they saw the bright i1ttle |
5, heard no call,
nazed at the strange apparition, they
it almost have thought the translated
creatures small angel navigators on
voyage of discovery, some little cher
adventure OF their own, as, heading
ard the rosy cloudlands and purple is
s of sunset splendor, they sailed deep
ITO the west, and faded away.
hen the sunlight all went away and the
It comet came blazing out, little John
vas apprehensive that the comet might |
le too near the airy craft, and set it on
with ii whisk of its dreadful tail But |
N his sister assured him that the fiery I
gon was as much as twenty miles away, |
| that God wouldn't let him hurt them. |
was tranguilized, but soon afterwards |
4, I wish he would come little nearer, !
[ could warm myself am so coldr
Then Jennie took off her apron, and
apped it about the child, saying tender
This is all sister has to make you warm, |
Ring, but she'll hug you close in her
ms, and we viii say our prayers and you |
ali go to sleep.
why, how can l say my prayers before
ave my supper asked little Johnny.
Sister hasn't any supper for you or her.
elf, but we must pray all the harder, sole |
lnly responded Jennie.
So the two baby wanderers, alone in the |
ride heavens, unawed by darkness, i'm
lensity and silence, by the presence of the |
reat comet, and the millions of un-
tying stars, lifted their little clasped I
ands and sobbed out their sorrowful Our |
'ather, and then that quaint little sup
lementary prayer:
E'Now 1 lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lore my soul to take /
There! God heard that easy; for we are |
lose to him up here, said innocent little |
ohnny.
Doubtless Divine Love stopped to the lit
.e ones, and folded them in perfect peace, |
1r soon the younger, sitting on the bot |
ON of the car, with his head leaning
gainst his sisters knee. slept as soundly
5 though he were lying in his own little
ed at home; while the elder watched
uietly through the long, long hours, and
he car foated gently on the still night air,
III it began to sway and rock on the fresh
lorning wind.
Who can divine that simple little child's
loughts, speeulations, and wild imagin- |
ngs, while Watching through these hours?
he may have feared coming in collision |
nth q meteor-for many were abroad that |
light, scouts and heralds of the great comet |
or, perhaps, being cast away on some |
esolate star island, or more dreary still, |
Dating on, night and day, until they |
hould both die of cold and hunger. Poor
abies in the clouds.
At length happy chance of providence |
we say providence guided the little girls /
hand to cord connected with |
he valve; something told her to pull it. At
nee the balloon began to sink, slowly and |
entity, as though let down by gentle hands, |
r as though some celestial pilot guided it I
trough the wild currents of air, not let |
ing it drop into lakes on rivers, leafy wood, |
r impenetrable swamp, where this strange, /
nchildlIke experience might have been I
Iosed by death of unspeakable horror
ut causing it to descend as softly as a bird /
lights, on a spot where care and human
itv awaited it. ---.--
The sun had not yet risen, but the morn
10 twilight had come, when the little girl, |
,oking over the edge of the car, saw the /
ear old earth coming nearer-'r rising to- I
ard them she said. But when the car |
.opped, to her great disappointment, it
as not on the ground, but caught fast in !
he topmost branch of tree. Yet she saw
aey were near a house whence help might |
oon come, SO she awakened her brother,
nd told him the good news, and together
hey watched and waited for deilyerance,
iugging each other for JOY and warmth;
or they were very cold.
Farmer Buxton, who lived in lonely
Louse onion The edge OF his own private
'rairie, was famous sleeper in general,
nut on this particular morning he awoke
,eiore the dawn, and, though he turned
nd turned again, ne could sleep no more.
50. at last he said to his good wife, whom
le had kindly awakened to inform her of
ais un&ccountable insomnolenee. .t4s.no
lse; Il just get up and dress, and have a |