The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-11-22

Ben, rs hel ia fresh cartridge into
the brccch, my rputation's gone.
and leave Refers Point tonight"
Crack! went the second shot. The
crowd and Ben heard its mournful
"whoo" us it sped through tho bright
air; and almost instantly one OF the
balloons collapsed and shriveled up.
An audible cheer came blowing out
from the people on shore and in the
boats, and Col. Jack loaded again.
Rutjust imagine how Mrs Tredloe
fit when she saw that puf of gun
smoke from the catbo;,t, and realized
that So,iic one was firing ut Birdie! She
had barely recovered from her f"inting
lit when this happened. "B,t;rr To
let her drown or blow away beyond
recovery than do that" she gaspcd in
anguish. "Why, it is murder! Can't
any one stop that man from shoot
ingf'
i}r. lIaygood and her friends tried
10 explain the matter to her, but Slc
tainted again before they could do 30,
and it was lucky for her that shc be
came unconscious, because the gal
liant colonel wa, blazing away again
with his rifle at closer range. An
ether Ef the balloons was puncturcd,
and seemed To vanish. Col Jacks
catboat mll the time drew nearer to a
spot on the water Just below the hov-
cring baby. who kIlung suspended,
fortunately very close to Il long sand
spit that juttcd out into the inlet ust
beyond tie harbor's mouth.
One more shot finished off 4 third
balloon, All there were not enough left
i'm tho bunch new to hold Birdie up.
Slowly, steadily, softly, she began to
descend, precisely as if she were being
let downward by apair of arms NOV
ing gently, and in few minutes Col.
Jack had the satisfaction of seeing her
sink quietly and comfortably Gown
on the sand heap, with the remaining
balloons still iluttering around her
like SO many hugo bubbles of gor-
gCOuS color.
His boat was The first to reach the
point of sand. Ben Pivcr lcaped out,
ran to the child, and turning, waved
his hat as he shouted to tho assembled
fleet, "Gcntlcmcn, she's alive and kick
ingw whcrcat another cheer arose,
long and loud.
Col. Jack ell but wcpt over the
child us hc caught her up and kissed
her. But Birdie, on landing amid the
sand had calmly and unconccrncdly
begun playing with it. Her hands
wcro full of littlo shells. Desc for
mamma" she remarked, cheerfully.
Ho hurried her into his boat, and
sailed back to tho wharf, accompanied
by tho rest of the fleet. There was a
tremendous press of men and women
ccivcd Birdie rs she was handed up,
| 4 ,,,.l, Will, ho,. 70 hoc ~ bo
But, strangely enough, i'll the crush
his way, and stepping accidentally over
tho side, fell with n plunge into the
water, carrying Birdie along with him.
The colonel and Ben Piver were over,
board in moment, and soon had
her safe ashore; so that before they
brought her to Mrs. Tredloo she
had been rescued twice. Some
one had run ahead to tell
tho poor mother that Birdie was
all right. With DR.. Haygood's help
she rose up on her couch to welcome
the little maiden back; and us the col
oucl entered with Birdie in his arms
there was cry of recognition on both
sides.
rs Tor col. Jack, ho stouu s.A.la
from Birdie to her mother in whom
! he Dchcld his lost love, formerly Eve.
| lyn Carter. Her husband, Mr.. Tred
loc, had died not long after Birdie was
born; but Col. Jack had known moth
ing about this, having heard no news
of them for three years or moro.
Tho end of it was that Col. Jac!.
! Wclstcd and Mrs 1rcdloe were married
before tho season at Refers Point
was over, and that was how lie came
to DO the stcpfathcr Of Baby Bal
LOOM"
All this happened somc fifteen years
before our conversation with the col
oncl that evening Oh the piazza. The
day after ho had rccitcd the circum-
stances TO us, Joc Tcrrill came to him
and said: Colonel, l was very much
interested in the story you told us last
night, but it spoiled n little plan of
mine. have been intending to save
Miss BRIDES life myself as soon as
could get good chance to do SO, pre-
paratory to asking hcr to marry me.
But as l found you had already saved
her life twice, fifteen years ago, the
wind seemed to have been taken clean
out of my sails. 1t occurred to me that
If wero to attempt saving her again l
might DO OVERRIDING matters. SO
have spoken to her today, and she
agrees with Inc. She says it's no use
my waiting around TO rescue her, be-
cause the opportunity might not occur
in long while, and she las consented
TO marry mo if you'll give your ap-
proval. Will youW
Col. Jack gavo it. I'm glad
saved you tho trouble, joe" said lhc.
Its hard enough 10 win a good wo-
mans love anyway, and if you've
done that much, you've dono enough
to suit INC. "-Gcorg, Parsons Lathrop
in Harrcr's Eazar
Curious If True.
MIR. a. d. King, 4 well known law