The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-03-12
THE BABES IN THE CLOUDS.
a TRUE STORY.


TRUE STORY.
just ten years ago, there suddenly
burst upon the western world mag
nificent stranger from foreign parts
with all his travelling glories on" Ii
was the great comet of 1858, on The
grand tour of the universe.
L. seemed strange that petty human
life could go on as usual, with its eat.
ing and drinking, toilin0, trafickinn
and pleasuring, while that tsaanino
minister on his billion .leagued cir.
ouits was preaching the wonders Of In
finite immensity and power, and the
nothlngness of earth. The comet no
longer runs his kindling race, like VicI-
Alpine's henchman. with his fiery cross,
announcing war and disaster.
Herald Of battle, fate and fear.
He is on his own business. NOT Ours.
Under the tail Of this particular
comet doubtless many q tale of love was
told-in the light Of his swift splendors
many q tender look exchanged. The
astronomer coolly swept the starry field
with his glass, unawed by the irregular
nieht-guard patrolling the heavens. and
the fobber and murderer disdained the
awful witness. He left us as he found
us joined 10 our mortal idols. wise in
our own c0nceit, weak, and worldly.
and wicked, but no castaways Of the
universe after all.
We remember that comet summer.
not 80 much for it's great astronomical
event as for two singular Incidents that
more nearly touched our human SYM
pathies, which viii groYel In poor
earthly affairs, even within sight of the
most august celestial phenomena.
One pleasant Saturday afternoon
during the comets appearance, an aero-
naut, after a prosperous voyage, de.
scended upon farm in the neiahbor-
hood Of q large market town in one Of
the western states. He was soon sur
rounded by curious group Of the
farmers family and IabOrers, all asking
eager questions about the voyage ana
the management of the balloon. That
secured by an anchor and rope lii the
hand OF the &ronauA, It's car being a
foot ur two above the ground, was
swaying laziiy backward and forward
In the evening air. It was good deal
out of wind, and was sleepy and innO-
cent monster In Che eyes Of bhe farmer,
who, with the owners permission, led
it mp to his house, where, as he said.
he cpuld hitch it to his fence. But be-
fore he had thus secured IL, The 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 Bronaut
was diverted by more curious ques-
TONERS from neighboring farm, this
rash father lifted his dgrlings one BY
one into the car. Chubby little Johnny
proved the ounce too much Z for the
serial camel, and brought him bo the
ground and then, unIuckiIy, not the
baby, but the eldest hope of the family,
was lifted out. The relief was too
great for the monster. The yolatile
creatures spirit rose at once. he ierked
his halter out of his fathers hand, and,
with d wild bound, mounted into the
air Vain was the er0naut's anchor.
tit caught tor moment ii 4 fence, but
10 tore away. and was oil, dangling
uselessly after the runaway balloon,
which.s0 swiftly and steadily rose chat
ia d few minutes those two little white
faces, peering over the edge of the car,
grew indistinct, and those piteous cries
Of 8 Papa z = Mamma " grew faint
and fainter, up il the air.
When distance and twilight mists had
swallowed Hp voices and faces. and
nothing coHld Be seen bnt the dark,
cruel shape, sailing triumphantly away,
with it's precious booty, like an @rial
privateer, the poor father sank down
helpless and speechIess but the mother,
frantic with grief, still stretched her
yearning arms towards the inexorabie
heavens, and called wildly into the
nnansweFing void.
Tho mronant atrove to console the
wretghad parents with assurances that
Tie balloon would descend within thirty
nlIestof the t0Wn, and that all might
be well with the chilFen, provided that
it aid not come dewn In the water or Ia
deep woods. I'll the event Of it's de-
BOending III favorable spot, the
thought chat the older child might step
out leaving the younger IN the balloon.
Then 1t might again arise and continue
its voyage.
z Ah, MOI replied the mother, Il ,Jan-
me woxiAd never stir from the car with-
out Johnny III her arms. Z
The balloon passed directly over the
market town, and the children seeing
many people in The aarsets, stretched
ont their hands and called loudly for
help. But The villagers. though they
saw the bright little heads, beard no
calls.
Amazed lit The strange apparision,
they might haVa thought the translated
little creatures sinaI angel navigators,
on some voyage of discovery rome lit
tie cherubio venture of their own, AS,
heading toward the rosy cloud lands and
purple isIards w sunset splendor, they
sailed deepef anil deeper into the west.
and faded away.
Some company they had, poor little /
sIKF-Waifs Something corniprted them
a1d aIiayed their wila karrora come
thing wlaispered that below the night
and clouds was horna that shove was
6sod hat wherever they might drift or !
clash, living or daads they would It'll
be Ia His domain and under Hih care ~
that though, borne away among the
stars. they could n0t be losE, fer Ills
lore would follow thern
When The Eunligh al went sway and
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