The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-09-10

thought she kind o. wished me to-"
The Children In the Clouds.
One pleasant afternoon during the
comets appearance ten years ago, an
aeronaut, after prosperous voyage, de-
scended upon large farm in the neigh
borhood of large farm market town in
one of the Western States. He was soon
surrounded by curious group of the
farmers family and laborers, all asking
eager questions about the voyage and the
management of the balloon, that, Sc
cured by an anchor and rope in the
hands of the aeronaut, its car but foot
or two above the ground, was swaying
lazily backward and forward in the even
ing 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 permission, led it up
to his house, where, as he said, he could
"hitch it" to the fence. But before he
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 a neighboring farm, this 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,
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 spirits rose at once,
he jerkcd the halter out of the fathers
hand, and with q bound mounted into
the air Vain was the aeronaut's an
Choir. 1t caught for moment in the
fence, but it tore away, and was off dan
Cling uselessly after the runaway bal
loon, which so swiftly and steadily
rose that in few minutes those two lit
tie white faces peering over the edge of
the car grew indistinct, and those pite-
Gus cries of "Papa - " Mamma !" grew
fainter up in the air.
When distance and twilight mists had
swallowed up voices and faces, and moth
ing could be seen but that dark, cruel
shape, sailing triumphantly 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
toward the heavens, and called wildly up
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 it did
not come down in deep water or in
woods. In the event of its descending
in q favorable spot, there was but one
danger to be apprehended; he thought
that the elder child might step out, leav-
ing the younger in the balloon. Then it
might again rise and continue its voyage.
"Ah, no" replied the mother,
"Jennie would never stir from the car
without 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 call
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 20
miles away, and that God wouldn't let
he soon after said, 81 wish he would
come little nearer, so ! could warm
myself am so cold ~
Then Jennie took off her apron and
wrapped it about the child, saying ten
derby
"This is all sister has to make you
warm, darling, but she'll hug you close
in her arms, and we will say our pray
ers and you shall go to sleep"
"Why, how can say my prayers be-
fore have my supper 2" asked little
Johnnie.
"S Sister hasn't any supper for you OF
herself, but we must pray all the hard
err" solemnly responded Jennie.
So the two baby wanderers, alone in
the wide heavens, unawed by darkness,
immensely and silence, by the presence
of the great comet, and the millions OF
Implying stars, lifted their little clasped
hands and sobbed out their sorrowfu
"Our Father" and then that quaint lit
tie supplementary prayer:
Now lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul TO keep;
II should die before wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take"
"There God heard that easy; for We
are close to Him up here" said innocent
little Johnnie.
Doubtless Divine Love stopped to the
little ones, and folded them in perfect
peace, for soon the youngest, lsitting OF
the bottom of the car, with his head
leaning against his sisters knees, slep,
as soundly as though he were lying in
his own little bed at home while the
elder watched quietly through the long,
long hours, and the car foated gently
on the still night air, till it began to
sway and rock on the fresh morning
wind.
At length a happy providence guided
the little girls wandering hand to cord
connected with the valve something