The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-01-13

sexton was just in the act of raising the
old brass trumpet to his bps whenfor
the third time that day the baby cried.
The sexton was old, and he was
rather deaf, but he heard her; he was
old, and he was rather blind, but he
| saw her-the little white bundle, CRYING
away among the stOrks. His precious
trumpet dropped from his fingers. He
| seized the rope of the alarm-ben behind
him and pulled with all his might
/ The baby told the sex1pn.
And the sexton tofled The ben.
| Well, the people came running out of
their houses in terror. The cry of fire
was spreading up and down the street.
Men hurried out of the barns with lad
ders and pals of water. Some of the
women appeared armed with brooms.
though what they were going to do with
them I'm sure l don't know. Not see
ing any fire, they looked bewildered.
| "Where' the fire, sexton? they
shouted wildly.
| "It's worse than a fire." was the an
swer from the top of the tower. 'The
storks have got a child in the nest over
yonder. Quick, quick, or they'll be of
with it again.
Ladders were hastily bound together
to make them longer. Two or three
men were softly creeping up to the barn
roof, when Mrs. Stork, getting hint of
what was going on, picked up the baby,
and away she went overall their heads.
The engine had arrived on the scene.
| Some men seized the hose and sent q
heavy stream of water full against the
extended wings of the mischievous bird.
But what was little sprinkling, more
or less, to Madame StOrk?
On she sailed, rather slowly at first,
enjoying the fun of bringing the peas
ants out into the fields and woods in pur-
suit, then faster, till she looked small
black speck in the sky to the excited
people watching below, and at last she
was out of sight.
BY and by she began to near city.
There were great many houses and
spires and chimneys. Outside the town,
in an open meadow, large number of
people were collected together. In their
midst was big colOred mass of-sOme-
thing the stork didn't know what, and
the baby didn't know what; but l will
mention to you that it was a balloon.
Presently the balloon was loosed from
its mOorings, and with bound assembled
grandly into the air. A thousand pairs
Of eyes were watching it, and thousand
mouths were praising its graceful mo-
ton, when the thousand pairs of eyes
fell upon the stork-and the balloon was
forgotten. The people were wild with
excitement. Cries of horror and Ia
nenting were heard ON every side. A
huntsman fired a few shots, though with
out much effect.
keep close to the balloon, Mother
Stork. Keep close to the balloon and
you'll be all safe,' whispered the wise
bird to herself.
Attached to the balloon there was q
woman.
"a child! childr' exclaimed the
woman, discerning the baby as the stOrk
drew near. ''Oh, you dear little thingr'
she cried, talking first to the baby and
then to her husband. "Oh, do let US try
to save it!''
The wind was driving the balloon along
at a rapid rate, SO rapid that the stork
had hard work to keep up, for she had
travelled many a mile already, and was
growing short of breath. Still there was
the sound of those disagreeable leaden
balls haunting her ears, and she pressed
on as long as she could.
Baby grew somewhat uneasy howev-
err The pincers that had been pinching
her up so tightly certainly were loosing
their hold.
Baby felt herself going-going-
"Ahr' said the woman in the balloon,
giving a deep sigh of relief; Il thought
we should have to lose her after all. I
call myself pretty lucky woman now,
to find a baby in the cloudsr'
Wife, said the man, passing his
fingers over the little white bundle; 1.-THE
fog is so thick can't see very well; but
by the feeling of so much fine lace and
ribbon should say it was the child of
rich parents. If so, our fortune is made.
We have only to advertise it in the
paper"
"Rightr' was the answer. They'll
pay any sum for the sake of getting it
back. 1 shouldn't wonder If we got
enough to build new house and live in
ease all the rest of our days. That is, if
it's she stopped in dismay as new
thought struck her" living. 1t don't
move. It's SO still, I'm afraid it's dead.
They'll never give us anything for dead
baby. Do you suppose the poor thing
can have died of fright?''
"Oh, toss it little"' suggested the
man.
$50 the baby was tossed and rocked
back and forth in the woman's arms,
and being Rugged Gerry hard. it gave a
faint cry.
"It's crying! it's crying!' was the
joyful exclamation; and the happy man,
feeling sure now that their fortune was
made, was ready to get back to the
earth as soon as might be.
The gas was allowed to escape. The
air became gradually purer. Little by
little, tiny black points began to be visi-
BILE through the thick clouds, and little
by little, these tiny black points turned
into substantial mountains and churches
and trees and houses. There was river,
too, unpleasantly near.