The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-03-11
THE BABES IN THE CLOUDS.

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THE BABES IN THE CLOUDS.
Years ago there suddenly burst upon
the western world magnificent stranger
from foreign parts, "with all his travelling
glories on" 1t was the great comet of
1868, on the grand tour of the universe.
We remember that comet summer, not
SO much for its great astronomical event
as for two singular incidents that more
nearly touched our human sympathies,
which will grovel in poor earthly affairs,
celestial phenomena.
One pleasant Saturday afternoon dur
ing the comets appearance, an aeronaut,
after prosperous voyage, descended
upon q farm in tho neighborhood of
large market town in one of the Western
States. He was soon surrounded by q
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 Ill the hand of the aeronaut, its
car being a foot or two above the ground,
was swaying leisurcly backward and for
ward in the evening air. 1t was a good
deal out Of wind, and was a sleepy and
innocent monster in the eyes of the
farmer, who, with the owners permis-
sion, led it up to his house, where, as he
said, he could hitch it to his fence. But
before he had thus secured it, his three
children, aged respectively ten, eight
and three, begged him to lift them "into
that big basket" that they might "sit
ON those pretty red cushions"
While the attention of the aeronaut
was diverted by more curious question
ers from neighboring farm, this rash
father lifted his darlings one by one into
the car. Chubby little johnny proved the
"ource too much F" 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 spirit rose at once,
he jerked his halter out of the fathers
hand, and, with wild bound, mounted
into the air Vain was the aeronaut's
anchor. 1t caught for moment in a
fence, but it tore away, and was off,
dangling uselessly after the runaway
balloon, which so swiftly and steadily
rose that in few minutes those two
little white faces, peering over the edge
of the Car, grew indlstict, and those
piteous cries of "Papa - and "Mamma."
grew faint and fainter, up in the air.
When distance and twilight mists Lad
swallowed up voices and faces, and
nothing could be seen but the dark cruel
shape, sailing triumphantly away, with
its precious booty, like an aerial priva-
teer, the poor father sank down helpless
and speeclIless; but the mother, frantic
with grief, still stretched her yearning
arms towards the inexorable heavens,
and called wildly into the unanswering
void.
The aeronaut strove 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 that it
did not come down in water or in deep
woods. In the event of its descending
in favorable spot, he thought that the
older child might step out leaving the
younger in the balloon. Then it might
again arise and continue its voyage.
"Ah, no, replied the mother, "Jen-
mic would never stir from the car with
out Johnny in her arms"
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 calls.
Amazed at the strange apparition, they
might have thought the translated little
creatures small angel navigators, on
some voyage of discovery, some little
cherubic venture of their own, as, head
ing towards the rosy cloudlands and pur-
pie islands of sunset splendor, they sailed
deeper and deeper into the west, and
faded away.
When the sunlight all went away, and
the great comet came blazing out, little
Johnny was apprehensive 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
wouldn't let him hurt them, he was
tranquilized, but soon afterward said,
81 wish he would come little nearer,
80 1 could warm myself, I'm so cold !"
Then Jennie took off her apron, and
wrapped it about the child, saying ten
derly, "This is all sister has tomake 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 1 say my prayers be-
fore have my support" asked little
Johnny.
"Sister hasn't any supper for you Or
for herself, but we must pray all the
harder, solemnly responded Jennie.
So the two baby wanderers, alone in
the wide heavens, unawed by darkness,
immensity 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
Sour father, and then that quaint little
supplementary prayer:
Now lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep;