The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-12
THE BABES IN THE CLOUDS.
A TRTE STORY.

with all his travelling glOrleS on. 1t
was the great comet of 1858, on the
grand tour of the universe
It seemed strange that petty human
life could go on as usual, with its eat
ing and drinking, ling, trafficking
and pleasuring, while that "Haming
m minister, on his billion leagued cir
cult, was preaching the wonders of in
finite immensity and power, and the
nOthingness of earth. The comet no
longer runs his kiudling race, like Vich-
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 tale of love was
told--in the light of his swift splendors
many a tender look exchanged. The
astronomer cOOlly swept the starry field
with his g,ass, unawei by the irregular
ni2ht-guard patrollinZ the heavens. and
the TObber and murderer disdained the
awful witness. He left us as he found
us-jOined to our mortal idols, wise in
our own conceit, weak, and worldly,
and wicked, but no castaways of the
universe after all
We remember that comet summer
not so much for its great astronomical
event as foe two singular incidents that
more nearly touched our human SYM
pathies, which will gr07el in poor
earthly affairs, even within sight of the
most august celestial phs nOmeua.
One pleasant Saturday afternoon
during the comets appearance, an ero-
naut, after a prosperous voyage, de-
scended upon farm in the neighbor-
hood of a large market town in one of
the western states. He was soon sur
rounded by 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 q rope in the
hand of the @rOnaut, its car being a
foot or two above the ground, was
swaying lazily backward and forward
In the evening air. 1t was a good deal
out of wind, and was sleepy and inno-
cent 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 his fence. But be-
fore he had thus secure it, the three
children, aged respectively, ten, eight,
aud three, begged him to lift them
Into that big basket, that they might
"slt on those pretty red cushions.
While the attention of the nronaut
was diverted by more curious ques-
TONERS from noighboring farm, this
rash father lifted his darlings one by
one into the car. Chubby little Johnny
proved the "Ounce too much " for the
Brial camel, and brought him to the
ground and then, unluckilv, not the
baby, but the eldest hope of the family,
was lifted ont. The relief was too
great for the monster. The volatile
creatures spirit rose at once, he jerked
his halter Olt of his fathers hand, and.
with a wild bound, mounted into the
air Vain was the Bronaut's anchor.
1t caught for moment in fence, but
1t tore away, and was of, dangling
uselessly after the runaway balloon,
which so swiftly and steadily rose that
In few minutes those two little white
faces, peeTing over the edge of the car,
grew indistinct, aud those piteous cries
of Papa :" Mamma - grew faint
and fainter, up in the air.
When distance and twilight mists had
swallowed mp voices and faces, and
nothing could be seen but the 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 towards the inexorabie
heavens, and called wildly into the
unanswering void.
The aeUouapt strOve to console the
wretched parents with assurances that
the balloon would descend within thirty
miles of the town, aud that all might
be well with the chilrcn, provided that
il did not come dewn in the water or in
deep woods. Ia the event of its de-
scending in a favorable spot, the
thought that the older child might step
out leaviCg the younger in the balloon.
Then 1t might again arise aGd continue
its voyage.
"Ah, no, " replied the mother, "Jen-
ME would never stir from the car with
ont Johnny in her arms"
The balloon passed directly over the
market town, and the children seeing
many people IN the streets, stretched
ont their hands aud called loudly for
help. But the villagers, though they
saw the brigh5 little heads, heard no
calls.
Amazed at the strange apparitiou,
they might have thought the translated
little creatures small angel navigators,
on some voyage of discovery some lit
TIC NL1GA AAbAG Ntlitlllt u lllClE O"u. tlf,
heading toward the ross cloudlands and
purple islands of sunset splendor, they
sailed deeper and deeper INTO the west,
and faded away.
Some company they hal, poor little
sky-wsifs Something comfor.cd them
aUd allayed their wild terrors-some-
thing whispered that below the Light
and clouds was home; that above was
God; that wherever they might drift or
clash, living or dead, they would , till
be in His domain and under His care
that though, borne away among the
stars, they cOuli not be lost, for His
love wouli follow them
When the sunlight all went away, and
the great comet came blazing out, little
J ,hnuy was appreheusive that the comet
might come too near their airy craft,
and set It On fire with a whisk of its
DIR alful tail. But when his sister as
sured hlm that the fiery dragon was "as
much as twenty miles aSay," and that
God wouldn't les HIM hurt them, he
vas tranq ilized, but soon afterward
slld, " wish Re would come a little
nearer, so L could warm myself, I'm so
cold -
Then Jennie took of her apron, and
wrapped it about the child, saving ten
hNIlNs AAlfN II az NlSlGE has 10 MAKE
yoI warm, darling, but she'll hug YOU
close in her arms, aui We will say our
prayers and you shall go TO sleep"
"Why, how can [ say my prayer be
fore / have my s0pperT" asked little
Johnny.
Sister hasn't any supper for you or
for herself, hut we must pray all tho
harder" so.emnly responded Jennie
SO the two baby wanderers, alone in
the wide heavens, Unawed by darkness,
immensity and the millions of unpity-
ing stars, lifted their little clasped
hands, and sobbed ont their sOrrowfuI,
"Our fa'her, and that quaint little
supplementary prayer
Now lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep:
II / should die before / wake
Iprsy the Lord my soul to take.
"There God heard that, easy: for
we are close to Him up here" said in
nocent Little Johnny.
. DouI tless Divine Lovs stopped to