The Opelousas courier., 1883-07-21
A NIGHT in I'LL AIR.
A 3 Yeat. Old. Child Meets With an Extraordinary
Inlinnn hArnnfnrn

Correspondence Pbiladelrhia Press.
MoREHEAD CRY, N. G., June 28.-
A thrilling episode in this village yes.
terday caused more excitement, con
sternation and weeping among the
people than was aver known here
before. The ~3-year-old daughter Of
Mrs. Robert Elliot was brought to the
seaside a month ago to recover from
a severe attack Of the Texas fever,
ohe became q pet and a favorite at
the Alabama Hotel. Yesterday morn.
ing q strolling Italian made his ap.
p~earance at the hotel with d large
cluster of those red bladder like toy
balloons. Major Hawkins, of the Al
ALBANIA, to amuse the child, Birdie,
whoma at the time, he had in his arms,
tied the cord around her waist, and
then, as Is often done to amuse chill.
dren, he gave her a toss of five or six
feet in the air, and held out his hands
for her return. Great God! she is
gone," cried the Major, as he saw
her going rapidly up, up, up, until
she had passedthe house-tops. Float
ing in the clouds with outstretched
hands, the little angel could be heard
distinctly calling Mammal mamma!
mammal" until her voice became
drowned by the whistling of the
winds.
"All to your boats" shouted old
Captain Dixon, "and never q son of
a man turn back until that child is
brought home to its mammy!"
Il, l, l." responded elk Of as brave
and daring boatmen as ever reefed a
sail, and all with boats seaworthy
for any waters.
Minutes appeared as long as hours
and the babe was flying southeast
like a kite, and would be out over the
great Atlantic Ocean in less than no
time. Away went twenty or more
well-manned boats amid the shouts
of men and creams of women and
children. These boats were joined
by a like number from Beaufort. all
of which kept as near under the little
angel in the cloud as possible. MI.
Charles J. Voorhees,, of the South
ern Express Company, with a party
of gentlemen were out taking a sail.
Mr.. Voorhees, is one of the most K
pert rifemen in the country, and, as
Providence had ordained it, he had
on board his Smith and Wesson rifle.
He at once took in the situation, re-
marking, six miles out at sea and
going at the rate of ten miles an hour,
and now 400 yards high, and every
minute going higher, higher, higher,
I can cut those balloons, and will do
it or die. Steady the boat, throw her
leeward of the squadron, Squire
Wade!" .s
"Let us all jine in prayer before he
shoots" said Steve Turner, the col
ored minister and mail carrier.
IT don't put much confidence in
'ligion when danger is about" said
Mr.. Dixon.
By this time the boat had gotten
in o position to give her the most pro-
lection from the stuff breeze then
blowing.
"Now's your time," shouted Piver,
"don't you see them too off to them
selvesi"
"Bang! went the riie-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 could not longer
carry the weight of the little floating
angel, as she was gradually descend
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 toafaAaia4a,
cradle of sand.
To land, to land, and all put to
shore as fast as the sails would pro-
propel the boats. Before they
reached the land most of them
Jumped overheard and waded ashore.
Then began the race for the babe;
she had come down on q sand bank
only a few hundred yards distant.
With fear and trembling they ran up
Dan Piver in front. Gentlemen"
said he, shes alive and kicking"
There sat little Birdie playing with o
lot of shells, and as she was picked
up she chung on to q handful, saying,
"Dese sells for mama"
With the prize all returned to the
boats. There sat Mr.. Voorhees, with
a death-l like palor on his c~ountenance,
and when told he had saved the babe
unhurt, his tender heart gave way
and he wept like a child.
Gail aboard and back to More
headi" shouted Captain Dixon. The
boats were rapidly gotten under way,
and each wanted to be first to convey
the glad tidings, but they all ran near
together with hats and handker-
chiefs flying, amid the cheers and
screams of several hundred people.
The excitement OF landing surpass-
es description. At the wharf after
everything seemed safe, then little
Birdieacame nearest loosing her life.
| Col. Whitford, O man of generous iimdh-