Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-10-08
CHILDREN IN THE CLOUDS.
The Terrible Voyage of Two Baby
Aeronauss-Their ExtraOrdina-
ry Delivcrance from Death.

One pleasant afternoon during th
comets appearance. ten years ago
an acrenaut after prosperous voy
age, dccended upon large farm il
the neighborhood of Il market town
in one Of the Western States. III
was soon surrounded by a curious
group of the farmers family and lab
orers, all asking eagerquestions abou
the voyage and the management o
the balloon. That, secured by al
anchor and a rope in the hands o
the acronaut, its car but q foot or two
above the ground, was swaying lazil,
backward and forward in the even
ing air. 1t was a good deal out OF
wind, and was sleepy and innocen
monster in the eyes Of the farmer
who, with the owners permission, led
it up to his house, where, as he said
he could Glitch it'' to the fence. Blu,
before he thus secured it, his three
children, aged respectively ten, eight
and three, begging him to lift them
into the big basket, that they might
sit on those pretty red cushions.
While the attention of the aeronaut
was diverted by more curious qucs-
TONERS from neighboring farm, tins
rash father lifted the darlings one by
one into the car. Chubby little
johnny proved the ounce too much
for the aerial camel, and brought
him to the ground; and then unlucki-
ly, 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 arose
at once; he jerked the halter out of
the farmers hand, and with a bound
mounted into the air. Vain was the
aeronaut's anchor. 1t caught for a
moment in the fence, but it tore away,
md went off dangling uselessly after
the runaway balloon, which was
so swiftly and steadily rising, that in
a few minutes those two little faces
peerng over the edge of the car
grew indestinct, and those piteous
cries Of "Papar' "Mammaw grew
fainter up in the air.
When distance and twilight mists
had swallowed up voices and faces,
and nothing could be seen but that
dark, cruel shape, sailing triumphant
ly 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 to-
ward the heavens, and called wildly
up into the unanswcring void.
The acronaut strove to console the
wretched parents with assurance that
the balloon would deccnd within
thirty miles of the town, and that all
might be well with the children,
providing it did not come down in
deep water or in the woods. In the
event Of It's decending 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 rise and continue its voyage
".\h, no." replied the mother.
"Jennic would never stir from the
car without Johnny in her armsw
The balloon passed directly over
the market town, and the children
seeing many people i'll the streets
stretched out their hands and called
loudly for help; but the villagers
though they saw the little bright
heads, they heard 40 call.
When the sunlight all went away
and the great comet came blazing
out, little Johnny was apprehensive
that the comet might come too neal
the airy craft and set it on fire with 4
whisk of it's dreadful tail. But when
the sister assured him that the fiery
dragon was rs much as twenty miles
away and that God wouldn't let him
hurt them, he was tranquilized; but
he soon after said, 81 wish he would
come little nearer, so could warm
mysell-I am so cold!'
Then Jennie took off her apron
and wrapped it about the child, say
ing tenderly:
"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 l have my supper?" asked lit
tie Johnny.
"Sister hasn't had any supper fo1
YOU or herself; but we must pray al
the harder" solemnly responded Jen
ME.
SO the two baby wanderers, alone
in the wide heavens, unawed by dark
ness, immensity and silence, by tho
presence of the great comet and thu
millions of Implying stars, lifted thei
little clasped hands and sobbed on
their sorrowful sour Father" anC
then that quaint little Supplementary.
prayer:
Now | lay me down to sleep,