The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-07-06
Skyward by Toy Balloon.
A CHILD SUSPENDED IN MID.AIR AND
RESCUED BY A RIFLE SHOT.

Morehead Letter In the Greensboro Patriot
AT the still hour of midnight had
the trump of Gabriel summoned us all
to worldly reckoning, more excite
ment, CONSERVATION and weeping could
not have come over the many good
peopleiwho were present and witnessed
the most wonderful and miraculous es-
cape 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 ten
o'clock strolling Italian made his ap-
pearance in front of the hotel, with
large cluster of those red bladders like
toy balloons. Major Hawkins, of Ala
bama, to amuse little Birdie, who he at
that time had in his arms, tied the cord
around her waist and then as is 80 often
done to amuse children, gave her a 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, up,
until she had passed the house-tops.
Floating in the clouds with outstretched
hands, the little angel could be distinct
ly heard calling "Mamma, mamma,
mamma, until her voice became
drowned by the whistlingo of the winds
All the men at the hotel started out in
boats, for the little one was drifting out
ut sea.
BY an act of Divine Providence, Mr..
Charles J. Voorhees,, of the Southern
Express company, with party of
gentlemen were out taking sail. Mr.
Voorhees, is one of the most expert
riflenen in the country, and as God had
ordained it he had on board his Smith
81 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. l can cut those
balloons, and will do it or die"
"Bang went the rihe-but no
change in position. Again, again and
again--the fifth shot one balloon disap-
peared amidst the shouts of the boat.
men. At the eighth shot it became
evident that the balloons could no lon
ger carry the weight of the little float
angel, as she was gradually descending
not in straight line but in southeast
direction, towards 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 into cradle of sand.
With fear and trembling all ran up
Ben Piver in front. "Gentlcmen," "
says he, 81 will be dinged if she amt
live and kicking There sat little Bir-
die playing with a lot of shells, and as
she was picked up she clung on to a
handful. saying, "Dese sels for my
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 tender heart gave way
and he wept like child. The little
darling came out as bright as new
pin and seemed to look on the whole
matter as fun gotten up for her amuse,
ment.
Thus ended dav of the most intense
excitement that the oldest inhabitants
at this old North Carolina resort ever
dreamed or thought of, and may the
writer never again witness its like.