Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-04-17

the little ones aud folded them in per-
feet peace, for soon the younger. seated
on the bottom of the car, with his
bead leaning against his sisters knee,
slept as soundly as though he was ly- |
ing in his own little bed at home, while
the elder watched through the long,
long hours. and the car hoated gently |
on in the still night air, till it it begun |
to sway and rock on the fresh morning |
wind. tsi - hf1es-1s5
Who can divine that simple little !
child's thoughts. speculations and wild |
imagings, while watching through those |
hours? She may have feared coming
in collision with a meteor-for many |
were abroad that night, scouts and |
heralds of the great comet-or, per-
haps being cast away on some desolate
star-island. or more dreary still, float
ing and floating on, night and day, till
they should both die of cold and hung
er. Poor babes in the cloudsl
At length. happy chance, or Prov
idence-we will say Providence-gui-
ded the little girls wandering hand to
cord connected with the valve; some
thing told her to pull it. At once the
balloon began to sink, slowly and gen.
| tly, as though some celestial pilot gui-
ded it through the wild currents of air,
not letting it drop into lake, or river,
lofty wood, or impenetrable swamp,
where this strange, unehild-like expe-
rience might have closed by death of
unspeakable horror; bat causing it to
descend as softly as bird alights, on
spot where human care and pity
awaited it.
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
rising towards them" she
said. But when the car stopped, to
her great disappointment it was not on
the ground, but caught fast in the top
most 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 lone
/ ly house, on the edge of his own pri
vate paririe, was famous sleeper In
general, but on this particular morning
he awoke before the dawn, and though
he turned again, he could sleep no
more. So, at last, he said to his wife,
whom he had kindly awakened to in
form OF his unnaccountable wakeful-
ness, Its no use, I'll just get up and
dress, and have look at the comet.
The next that worthy woman heard
from her wakeful spouse was a hasty
summons to the outer door. 1t seems
that no sooner did he step forth from
his house than his eyes fell on a
strange portentious shape, hanging on
large pear tree, about twenty yards
distant. He could see no likeness in
it to anything earthly. and he half fan
cied that it might be the comet, who,
having put his ght out, had come down
there to perch. In his fright and per-
plexity he did what every wise man
would do in like extremity, he called
upon his valiant wife. Reinforced by
her, he drew near the tree, cautiously
accommodating. Surely never pear tree
bore such fruit.
Suddenly there descended from the
thing a plaintive, trembling little
voice; PLEASE take us down. We
are very cold"
Then second little voice said:
And hungry, too. Please take US
down"
why, who are you; and where are
you."
The first little voice said: "It's US
and we ruined away with balloon.
Please take us down"
Dimly comprehending the situation,
the farmer, getting hold of dangling
rope, succeeded in pulling down the
balloon.
The first lifted out was little John
ny, who ran rapidly few yards to-
ward the house, then turned around
and stood for few moments, curious
ly surveying the balloon. The faith
full little sister was so chilled and ex-
hausted that she had to be carried into
the house, where, trembling, she told
the wonderful story.
Before sunrise mounted messenger
was dispatched to the Harwood home,
with glad tidings of great joy. He
reached it IN the afternoon, and few
hours later the children themselves ar
rived, in state, with banners and mu-
sic, and conveyed in a covered hay
wagon and four.
Joy-bells were rung in the neighbor-
ing town, and in the farmers brown
house the happiest family on the con-
tinent thanked God that night. 1
Itw0uld seem that this comet had
some occult maddening influence on
the balloons, for during its appearance
there occurred in another Western
State an involuntary ascension, similar
to the one | have related, but more
tragical in its termination.
An aeronaut, while, if | remember
rightly, repairing the net work of his
balloon, was seated on slight wooden
cross piece, suspended under it; the
car having been removed, the balloon
stood a few feet above the ground, con-
fined merely by rope in the hands Of
an assistant. From too careless grasp
of this rope, it escaped, and in an in
slant this gigantic bubble shot inward,
carrying the aerOnaut on his frail sup
port; a rider more helpless than Ma
zeppa bound to his Ukraine steed, a
voyager more helpless than a ship
wrecked sailor afloat on a spar in mid
ocean.
The balloon rose rapidly, but I'M
steadily, swaying and pitching in the
evening wind. As long as it remained
in sight the form of the aeronaut could
be distinguished swinging beneath it.
/ md &c ha maS l. nnun to no a man Of
uncommon nerve and presence of mind,
it was hoped that even from his dizzy
height might manage to operate on the
valve, or at least to puncture a small
hole in the balloon, and thus effect
descent.
But such efforts, if he made any,
were vain, as for many days and nights
there was anxious inquiry and patient
search over a wide extent of country,
with no result We gave him up.
Only wifely love hoped on, and looked
and waited. At last, in a wild spot,
the wreck of the balloon was found,
aud that was all. Still wifely love
hoped on, until, a month or two later,
/ some children nuttingin wood, many
miles away from where the balloon
was found, discovered, half buried in
the ground, a strange, dark mass that
looked like heap of old clothes, but
that there was something shapeless
and fearful holding it together.
Ii was thought the aerOnaut parted
company with his balloon by looseniug
his hold on the cord above him, in des-
perate efforts to open the valve; but