The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-03-08

cent little johnny.
Doubtless Divine love stopped to the
little ones and folded them in perfect
peace-for soon tho younger, seated on
the bottom OF the car, with his head
leaning against his sister's.lnee, slept as
soundly as though he were lying in his
own little bed at home, while the elder
watched through the long, long hours,
md tho chr hoated gently on inthe still
night air, till 1t begun to sway and rock
on the fresh morning wind.
Who can divine that simple little
ehild,s thoughts, speculations, and Wild
imaginings, while watcling through
those hoursl She may have feared COM
ing in collision with n meteor-for many
were abroad that night, scouts and her
aids Of the great comet-or, perhaps
being cast awny on some desolate star
island, or more dreary still, floating and
floating ON, night and day, till they
should both die Of cold and hunger.
Poor babes IN tho cloudsl
At length, q happy chance, or Proyi.
dence-wo win say Providence-guidsd
the little girls wandering hand to q cord
connected with the valve something
told her to pull Il. AT once the balloon
began to sink, slowly and gently, as
though some celestial pilot guided 1t
through the wild currents Of air, not let
ting L drop into lake, or river, lofty
wood, or impenetrable swamp, where
this strange, unclild.like experience
might have been closed by deathof un-
speakRble horror; but causing It to de-
scend as softly as bird alights, on a
spot where human care and pity awaited
The sun had not yet risen, but the
morning twilight had come, when the
little girl, looking over the edge Of the
car, saw the dear old earth coming
nearer" rising towards thcm," she
said. But when the car stopped, TO her
great disappointment it wls not on the
ground, but caught fast in the topmost
branches Of tree. Yet she saw they
were near house whence help might
soon come, so she awakened her brother
and told him the good news, and together
they watched and waited for deliyerance,
hugging each other for joy and warmth,
for they were cold. ....
Farmer Burton, who lived in alonely
house, on the edge OF his own private
prairie, was a famous sleeper in general,
but on this particular morning lie awoke
before the dawn, md though he turned
and turned again, ho could sleep no
more. So, at last, he said to his good
wife, whom he had kindly awakened to
inform her Of his sunaccountable wakeiul.
ness, "Its no use, I'll just get up and
dress, and have q look at the comet"
The next that worthy woman heard
from her wakeful spouse was hasty
summons to the outer door. II seems
that no sooner did he step forth from his
house than his eyes fell on q strange por-
tentous shape, hanging on large pear
tree, about twenty yards distant. He
could see no likeness in il to anything
earthly, and he halffancied that it might
be tile comet, who, having put out his
light, had come down there to perch.
In his fright and perplexity lie did what
every wise man would do in q like OK
tremity; he called upon his valiant wife.
Reinforced by her he drew near the tree,
cautiously accommodating. Surely pear
tree never bore such fruit.
Suddenly there descended from the
thing o plaintiyc, trembling little voice:
"Pleaso take us down. We arc very
cold"
Then second little voice said: "And
hungry, too. Please take us down."
"Why, who are youi And where
are you'll"
Tho first little voice said: "It's us,
and we runned away with balloon.
Please takeus down"
Dimly comprehending tho situation,
the farmer, getting hold Of a dangling
rope, succeeded in pulling down the
balloon.
The first lifted out little Johnny, who
mn rapidly few yards lstowartl the house,
then turned round and stood for fow
moments curiously surveying the bal
loon. The faithful littln sister was 80
chilled and exhausted that she Ind to
be carried ilto the house, where, trem-
bling, she told the wonderful story.
Before sunrise o mounted messenger
was dispatched to the Harwood home,
with glad tidings Of great Joy. He reach
ed II in the afternoon, and q few hours
Inter the children themselves arrived in
state, with banners and music, and con-
yeyed in q covered hay-wagon and four.
Joy.bells were rrng in the neighboring |
town, and in the farmers brown mouse
the happiest family on tho continent
thanked God that night
1t would seem that this comet had
seme occult maddoning influence on the |
balloons, for during its appearance there
occurred in another Western State an in.
voluntary ascension, similar to the one /
have related, but more tragical in its
termination.
An aeronaut, while, II l remember
rightly, repairing the network Of his
balloon, was seated on q slight wooden
coss.pfece, suspended under II the car
having been removed few feet above
the ground by merely q rope in the
hand Of an assistant. From o too care
less grasp this rope escaped. and in an
instant the gigantic bubble shot upward,
carrying the aeronaut on his frail support,
The balloon rose rapidly, but unstoad.
ly, swuying and pitching in the evening
wind. AS long as II remained in sight
the form Of the aeronaut could be dis.
tinguished, swinging beneath It. Aud
rs lie was known TO be n man Of uncom-
mon nerve and presence Of mind, it was
hoped thnt even from his dizzy perch he
might manage to operate on the valve,
or at least to puncture q small hole in
the balloon, and thus effect q descent.
But such efforts, II he made any, were
vain, as for many days and nights there