The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-01-14

Well, the people came running out of
their houses In terror. The cry OF fire
was spreading up and down the quiet
street. Men hurried out of the barns
with ladders and pals Of water. Some
OF the women appeared armed with
brooms, though what they were going
TO do with them I'm sure / don't know.
Not seeing any fire, they looked bewild-
cred.
where's the fire, sextonp" they
shouted wildly
'Its worse than fire." was the an
swer from the top of the tower. "The
storks have got child in the nest over
| yonder. Quick, quick, or they'll be
off 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
of what was going on, picked up the
baby, and away she went over all their
heads. The fre-engine had arrived on
the scene. Some of the men seized the
hose and sent 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
pursuit, then faster, till she looked a
small black speck in the sky to the ex-
cited people watching below, and at last
she was out of sight.
BY and by she began to near city.
There were a great many houses and
| spires and chimneys. Outside of the
town, in an open meadow, large num-
Der of people were collected together.
In their midst was big colored mass
Of something stork didn't know
what, and the baby didn't know what
but will mention to you that it was
balloon.
Presently the balloon was loosed from
It's moorings, and with bound ascend
ed grandly into the air. A thousand
pairs of eyes were watching it, and
thousand mouths were praising its grace
full motion, when the thousand pairs of
eyes fell upon the stork--and the bal
loon was forgotten. The people were
wild with excitement. Cries of horror
and lamenting were heard on every side.
A huntsman fired q. few shots, though
without much effect.
keep close TO the balloon, Mother
Stork Keep close to the balloon and
you'll be safe" whispered the wise bird
to herself.
Attached to the balloon there was a
boat in which were seated man and q
woman.
"a child! child" exclaimed the
woman, discerning the baby as the stofk
drew near. ooh, you dear little thing!"
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 mile already, and
was growing short of breath. Still there
was the sound of those disagreeable lead
en- balls haunting her ears, and she
pressed on as long as she could.
Baby grew somewhat uneasy, how
ever The pincers that had been pinch
ing her up so tightly, certainly were
loosening their hold.
Baby felt herself going going
"Ah!" said the woman in the balloon,
giving deep sigh of relief; 81 thought
we should have to lose her after all. |
call myself pretty lucky woman now
to find baby in the clouds!"
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 pa
per.
"Rightr' was the answer "They'll
pay any sum for the sake of getting it
back. | 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 r-"lving. 1t
don't move. It's 80 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 tia little!' suggested the
man.
So the baby was tossed and rocked
back and forth in the woman's arms,
and being Rugged cery hard, it gave a
faint cry.
"lt's crying! it's cryingr' was the joy
full exclamation; and the happy pair,
feeling sure now that their fortune was
made, were ready to get back to the
earth rs 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 q
river, too, unplesanatly near.
Is 1t law Of nature that all balloons
shall come down in the middle of riverp
1t would seem SO almost, and this one
was no exception to the general rule.
There was n tremendous "splashr' and
the man and woman, in such CAV spirits