Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-07-19
SKYWARD BY TOY BALLOON.
Child Suspended i'm mid-Air Res
cued by Rifle Shot.

MOrelesl0
At the still hour ofmidnight had the
trump of Gabriel summoned us all to a
final worldly reckoning, more excite
ment. CONSERVATION and weeping
could not have come over the many
geed people who We're present and wit
messed the most wonderful and mira
culous escape that ever happened in
this or any othercountry. Mrs. Robert
Elliot, of Texas, has been here for the
past ten days or more, to restore the
health of her child, Birdie, a 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 a strolling
Italian made his appearance in front
of the hotel, with large cluster OF
those red bladderS like toy balloons.
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 SO often done to
amuse children gave her toss 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, UNI
til she had passed the house-tops
Floating in the clouds, with out
stretched hands, the little angel could
be heard distinctly calling Mamma,
mamma, mamma, until her voice be
came drowned by the whistling of the
winds. All the men at the hotel start
ed out in boats, for the little one was
drifting to sea.
By an act of Divine Providence Mr.
Charles j. Voorhees,, of the Southern
Express Company, with p party of
gentleman were out taking a sail
Mr.. Voorhees, is one,of the most expert
riflemen in the country and as God
bad 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 rihe-but no
change in position. Again, again and
again-the fifth shot one ballooen dis
appeared amidst the shouts of the boat
men. 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
descending, not in a 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 han
died by human hands-and To fall III
cradle of sand. With fear and
trembling all ran up-Ben Piver III
front Gentlemen, says he, / viii
be dinged if she amt live and kick
ing There sat little Birdie playing
with a lot of shells, and as she was
picked up she chung on to a handful,
saving, desc sells for mammal
With the prize all returned to the
boats. There sat Mr.. Voorhees, with
"A death-like palor on his countnance,
and when told that he had saved the
babe unhurt, his tender heart gave
way and he wept like a child The
little darling came out as bright as a
new pin and seemed to look on the
whole matter as fun gotten up for her
amusement.
Thus ended a day of the most inteu-
sc excitement that the Oldest inhabi-
tant at this old North Carolina resort
ever dreamed or thought of. and may
the writer never again witness its
like