Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1883-07-26
SKYWARD BY TOY BALLOON.
A Child Suspended i'm Mld.Air and Res.
cued by Rife Shot.

[Morehead Letter in the Greensboro Patriot
At the still hour of midnight, had th,
trump of Gabriel summoned us all to fina
worldly reckoning, more excitement con
sternation and weeping could not have com,
over the many good people who were pres
ent and witnessed the most wonderful anl
miraculous escape that ever happened in this
or any other country. Mrs. Robert Elliott
of Texas has been here for the past ten days
or more, to restore the health of her child
Birdie, bright and sweet little cherub, less
than three years old, who is much emaciated
from spell of Texas fever. This morning
about 10 o'clock strolling Italian made his
appearance in front of the hotel, with large
cluster Of those red bladders like toy bal
looms. Major Hawkins, of Alabama, to
amuse little Birdie, who he at that time had
in his arms, tied the cord around her waist
and then, as is often, done to amuse children
gave her toss of five or six feet into the
air and held out his hands for her return.
Great God she is gone ~ cried the Major.
as he saw her rapidly going up, up, until she
had passed the housetops. Floating in the
clouds, with outst1etched hands, the little
angel could be heard distinctly calling
Mamma, mamma, mamma" until her voice
became drowned by the whistling of the
winds. All the men at the hotel started out
in boats, for the little one was drifting to
sea.
By an act of Divine Providence, Mr.. Chas.
j. Voorhees,, of the Southern Express Com
pany, with party of gentlemen, was out
taking sail. Mr.. Voorhees, is one OF the
most expert riflemen in the country, and, as
God had ordained it, he had on board his
Smith & Wesson rifle. He at once took in
the situation, remarking, six miles out at
sea, and going at the rate of ten miles an
hour, and now four hundred yards high and
every minute going higher, higher, higher
can cut those balloons, and will do it or
die"
Bang" went the rifle, but no change in
position. Again, again and again-the fifth
shot one balloon disappeared, amidst the
shouts of the boatmen. At the eighth shot
it became evident that the balloons >uld
not longer carry the weight of the .Ie
floating angel, as she was gradually des nd
ing, not in a straight line, but in southeast
direction, toward Harker's Island, but
whether dead or alive none could tell.
Down, down, down she comes-as gentle as
if handled by human hands-and to fall in
a cradle of sand With fear and trembling,
all ran up, Ben Piver in front Gentlemen"
says he, II will be dinged, if she amt live
and kicking" There sat little Birdie play
ing with lot of shells, and as she was
picked up she clung on to a handful, saying,
"Dese sells for mamma"
With the prize all returned to the boats.
There sat Mr.. Voorhees,, with a death-like
pallor on his countenance, and when told
that he had saved the babe unhurt, his ten
der heart gave way, and he wept like child
The little darling came out as bright as
new pin, and seemed to look upon the whole
matter as fun gotten up for her amusement
Thus ended day Of the most intense ex-
element that the oldest inhabitant at this
old North Carolina resort ever dreamed or
thought of, and may the writer never again
witness its like.