, 1889-03-07
BABY BALLOON

ASN NAANA 5AAS NShAS - 'N~+ 49,
manner" said Col. Jack Wclsted, re
peating the question that had been put
to him by one Of our party. well,
you may be sure that she wasn't
christcncd so. During the first three
years Of her career | wasn't very well
acquainted with hcr-in fact, never
laid eyes on her But until the end
of that period she was known rs Biz
die; so I'm informed. Birdie Tredloe
was her real name. I'll tell you how
she came to be called Baby Bal
| loon.
Tho young person to whom he re
fcrraI was a lovely girl of is, with
dark hair, serious eyes, fresh healthy
color in her checks, and n 1.-the figure,
SO graceful and bouyant that you
might easily have expected her to
float away if a particularly strong
brcczo should happen to blow across
tho seward looking veranda Of the
hotel at Reefcr's Point, where we sat
talking Tho idea that sire might be
waited Off 10y n breeze would be es.
pecially apt TO occur TO you when you
saw her dancing in the great parlor,
as she frequently did OF evenings.
And ! rather thought that handsome
Joo Tcrrill lone of our younger
fricnds), who danced with her n great
deal, would not have objected TO her
floating away if he could have been
allowed TO float with her. To be
plain, Joe was in love with Miss Tired
loo, or, as the colonel called her,
Baby Balloon" Joe Terrill had
plenty of money, but he was not salts
fed with that; he wanted Miss Tired
loo a well. When he did me tho
honor TO confde this to me n day, ]
said TO him, why in the world, then,
don't you ask her TO marry you9"
well, he replied, Il don't feel at
oil sure that she ares enough for me
to, take me just for myself. / don't i'm
nginc she would want me just for my
money either. Tho long and the short
Of it is, | don't amount to enough.
My money came TO me by inheritance,
SO That's nothing TO my credit. And
haven't done anything of importance
in tho world except just TO be born and
to inherit this wealth. Now if | had
only done some great action or made
a name for myself, l might possibly
expect TO win her. My notion is she
good idea. If / could rescue her from
a mad dog or an angrg bull, or save
her from drowning, then she'd be
sure to have me"
Infatuated bulls and mad dogs do
turn up every day; and when they do
mako their appearance it is likely
enough TO be Just at n moment when
VIC arc not prepared TO cope with them.
So, not being ablo TO impress these
animals into his service, Terrill per
sistently took Miss Tredloe out sailing,
as if with a view to some opportune
marine disaster. 1t was positively
amusing TO notice how no doggcd her
footsteps with u design on her life
not the design of destroying it, but of
preserving it, so that she might share
it with him.
But TO return to Col. Welsted. His
declaration that he had not known the
| young lady for the first three years of
her existence seemed rather strange,
considering that she looked upon him
as a father, and that we all considered
him in that light, Notwithstanding the
difference in their names He et-
planned this, however, in the course
of tho story which he proceeded to
narrate. That story is the one l am
going to tell here.
Col. Jack Welstcd was n tall, sinewy
man with gaunt checks, and had q
long red mustache that dropped and
slanted over the of his mouth
like n pcnnant hanging idly from the
staff on MINDLESS day. He was also cele-
brated Us n crack rifle shot He could
bring down almost anything on the
wing, and could hit all sorts Of marks,
at all ranges. But his certainty of aim
with the rifle did not seem TO help him
when he came to love matters. He
failed TO come anywhere near touching
the heart of the lady whom he loved.
Evelyn Carter rejected him, and mar
ried another man, who was n great
deal haudSomer than the colonel, but,
| regret TO say, not nearly so good.
Then Col. Jack went off on his
travels, carrying his fire arms with
him. He made innumerable hunting
trips, and shot endless numbers OF
deer, rabbits, Rocky Mountain goats,
wild cats, ducks, prairie hens and even
alllgators. For n long time it seemed
as If he was trying to wrcak on these
unfortunate creatures tho disappoint-
ment Of his affections. But alt 10 no
purpose. He could not forget Evelyn;
and so far MS he could see he was as
much in love with her as ever. Thus
1t was that about four years nfter her
marriage he came wandering down to
this popular sea shore resort of
Refers Point, where we were now
staying, and where he now told us
the story. Lots of other people came
there for their health or for amuse-
ment. The colonel came because he
did not know what else to do; and al
though there was not much shooting
to be had at Refers, he was con
stantly seen carrying his rifle about
with him, in the crowds about the
hotel, or along the lonely beaches, or
in the boat which he hired Ben Piver
TO sail for him up and down and
across the inlet, or sometimes well out