The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-14

to make them longer. Two OF three :.
men were softly creeping up TO the barn
roof, when Mrs. Stork, getting a hint of
of what was going on, picked up the
baby, and away she. went over all their
heads. The fire-engine had arrived on
the sces1e. 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 a little
sp1inkling, more or less, to Madame
Stork? H
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, TIL 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 q great many houses and
spires and chimneys. Outside OF the
town, in an open meadow, a large num-
Der of people were collected together.
E In their midst was a big colored mass
-something-th stork didn't know
what, and the baby didn't know what;
but / viii mention to you that 1t was
balloon.
Presently the balloon was 1oosed from
its 1noorings, and with a bound ascend
ed grandly into the air. A thousand
pairs of eyes were watching it, and
thousand mouths were praising It's 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 slde.
A huntsman fired a few shots, though
without much effect.
n. H. H. 1aItn
| Stork Keep close to the balloon and
you'll be safe, 2 whispered the wise bird
to herself.
Attached to the balloon there was a
boat. in which were seated q man and =
woman
"a child! child!'' exclaimed the
woman, discerning the baby as the stork
| drew near. ssOh, you dear little thing!
she cried, talking first to the baby, ana
/ then to her husband, ''Oh, do let rs try
to save it - @n
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 rifle already, and
was growing short of breath. Still there
was the sound of those disagreeable lead
IN balls haunting her ears, and she
/ pressed on as long as she could.
Baby grew somewhat uneasy, now
| ever. The pincers that had been pinch
| ing her up SO tightly: certainly were
/ loosening their hold. eta. s.
Baby felt herself going going ].
| All" said the woman IN the balloon,
giving a deepsigh Of relief; Il thought
| We should have to lose her after all. !
cali iryself pretty lucky woman now
to find a baby in the cloudsi'
wife" said the man, passing his
fingers over the little white bundle, ''the
foe is so thick can't see very well, but
| bv 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
s.Rieht!'' was the answer. ''Theyn
pay any sum for the sake OF getting II
back. / shouldn't wonder If we got
enough to build a new house and live in
ease all the rest of our days. That IS,
if its she stopped in dismay as q
new thought struck her-''living. Ii
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 frighte"
s.Oh, toss it a Hitler suggested the
man.
| 30 the DdDN WIS tCSoCS NtAA@A ADS'NSS
back and forth in the woman's arms
and being Rugged Uery hard 1t gave
faint cry.
..Ifs CRYING! it 5 cryingr' was the joy
full exclamation: and the happy pair
feeling sure now that their fortune wa:
made, were ready to get back TO tht
earth as soon as might be.
The gas was allowed to escape Th'
air became gradually purer. Little b.
:. little, tinv black points began to be visl
bic through the thick clouds, and lttl'
by little, these tiny black points turned
into substantial mountains and churche
and trees and houses. There was
river. too, unplesanatly near.
Is it a law of nature that all balloon
shall come down in the middle of a river
1t would seem so almost, and this on
was no exception to the general rule
! There was a tremendous ''splash! an
the man and woman, in such gay spirit
only ten minutes before, were founder
: inc about in the water, clinging to tn
overturned boat.
But the baby was very comfortable
floating down stream ON her pillow, q
+ if had been an Indian canoe 1t wa
: very amusing. There were varlou
, pleasant sights ut hand: some lambkin
7 as white as snow playing together; a
, old aray-bearded goat teasing fr1sk
: young one; long patches OF torget-mt
! nots along the bank, and whole troo
t / of silverbaeked fishes constantly dartin
E UP out of the water. s :,
I On she floated serenely among tt
pleasant sights, until, suddenly, a stroI
: arm drew the little white bundle vel
carefully out of the river
a .sBlcss nay stars? said great coaf
mans voice, slowly; ''6tess my star
t rs no more q 5aby than 1 an US or
!, some little girls Big crying r. ne
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