Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-03-09
BABY BALLOON,

"How did she come by such a queer
namef" said Col. Jack Welsted, re-
peating the question that had been ppt
10 him by n Of u party. "Well,
you may be sure that she wasn't
christened so. During the first three
years of her career ] wasn't very well
acquainted with her-in fact, never
laid eyes Oh her. But until the end
of that period she was known as Biz
die; so I'm informed. Birdie Tredloe
was her real name. I'll tell you how
she came to be called Baby Bal
LOOM"
The young person to whom be re
ferred was a lovely girl Of is, with
dark hair, serious eyes, fresh healthy
color in her cheeks, and q 1.-the figure,
so graceful and bouyant that you
might easily have expected her to
hoat away If q particularly strong
breeze should happen to blow across
the seaward looking veranda of the
hotel at Refers Point where we sat
talking. The idea that she might be
waited off by a 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
Joe Terrill Zone of our younger
friends), who danced with hera 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 Tred-
Toe, or, as the colonel called her,
'Baby Balloon" Joe Terrill had
plenty of money, but he was not salts
Bed with that; he wanted Miss Tred-
Toe as well. When he did me the
honor TO confide this to me one day, /
Hid 10 him, why in the world, then,
don't you ask her TO marry youi"
SWELL" he replied, II don't feel at
al sure that she cares enough for me
20 take me just for myself. I don't i'm
agine she would want me Just for my
money either. The long and the short
Of it is, I don't amount TO enough.
Ny money came 10 me byinheritance,
% that's nothing to my credit And
haven't done anything Of importance
tnthe world except Just TO be born and
20 inherit this wealth. Now If ] had
only done some great action OF made
. name for myself, ] might possibly
expect to win her. My notion is she
wants a hero. Oh, by Jovel-that's q
good idea II l could rescue her from
3 mad dog or an angry bull, or save
her from drowning, then she'd be
sure to have me-"
Infuriated bulls and mad dogs do
turn up every day; and when they do
make their appearance it is likely
enough to be Just at a moment when
We are not prepared TO cope with them.
80, not being able to impress these
snimals into his service, Terrill per-
istently took Miss Tredloe out sailing,
- II with q view TO some opportune
marine disaster. Il was positively
amusing to notice how he dogged her
footsteps with Q design on her life
not the design of destroying il, but Of
deserving Il, 70 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
- a father, and that we all considered
him in that light, notwithstanding the
difference in their names. He ex-
planned this, however, in the course
Of the story which he proceeded TO
narrate. That story is the one ! am
going 10 tell here.
Col. Jack Welsted was a tall, sinewy
man with gaunt cheeks, and had q
long red mustache that dropped and
slanted over the corners of his mouth
Hike a pennant hanging idly from the
staff on MINDLESS day. He was also cele-
DRAFTED as a crack rifle shot. He could
bring down almost anything on the
wing, and could hit all sortsof marks,
ut all ranges. But his certainty Of aim
with the rifle did not seem TO help him
when he came 10 love matters. He
failed 10 come anywhere near touching
the heart Of the lady whom he loved.
Evelyn Carter rejected him, and mar
another man, who was a great
deal handsomer than the colonel, but,
] regret 10 say, not nearly 30 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
alligators. For q long time il seemed
- II he vas trying 10 wreak on these
unfortunate creatures the disappoint-
ment Of his affections. But all to no
purpose. He could not forget Evelyn;
and 50 far as he could see he was as
much in love with her as ever. Thus
Il was that about four years after her
marriage he came wandering down 10
ibis popular sea shore resort Of
Reefers Point, where VIC were now
Saying, and where he now told US
The story. Lots Of other people came
there for their health or for muse
ment. The colonel came because he
ID not know what else 10 do; and al
though there was not much shooting
10 be had at Refers, no was con-
seen carrying his rife about
him, in tho crowds about the
hotel, or along tho lonely beaches, or
Ia tho boat which he hired Ben PiveY
10 sail for him up and down and
lcross the inlet. or sometimes well Dub