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

III QOn mt TINS tiHc, Sliu ue 70 i
Bon, ss he l. ia fresh cartridge into
the .breech, my -reputations gone,
and leave Rcefor's Point tonight
Crack went the second shot. The
crowd and Ben heard its mournful
"whoo" us it sped through the 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. =
Butjust imagine how Mrs, Tredloes,
felt when she saw That putt of gun
smoke from the catboat, and realized
that sor,c one was iiringat Birdie! She
had barely recovered from her fainting
lit when this happened. Better to
let her drown or blow away beyond
recovery than do that" she gasped in
anguish. why, it is murderl Can't
amy one stop that man from shoot
imgf"
Or. Ilaygood and her friends tried
to explain the matter to her, but she
tainted again before they could do so,
and it was lucky for her that sho be-
came unconscious, because the gal
liant colonel was blazing away again
with his rifle at closer range. An
ether Of the balloons was punctured,
and seemed to vanish. Col. Jacks
catboat all tho time drew nearer to q
spot on the water just below the how
cring baby. who ~ hung suspended,
fortunately very close to long sand
spit that juttcd out into the inlet just
beyond tie harbor's mouth.
One moro shot finished off n third
balloon, an 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 fluttering around her
like SO many huge bubbles of gor-
gcous color.
His boat was the first to reach the
point of sand Ben Piver lcaped out,
ran to the child, and turning, waved
his hat as he shouted TO the assembled
fleet Gentlemen, she's alive and kick
ingw. whereat another cheer arose,
long and loud.
Col. Jack all but wept over the
child rs he caught her up and kissed
her. But Birdie, on landing amid the
sand, had calmly and unconcernedly
begun playing with it. Her hands
were full of little shells. ':Dese for
mamma" she remarked, cheerfully.
He hurried her into his boat, and
sailed back TO the wharf, accompanied
by tho rest of the fleet. There was a
tremendous press of men and women
on tho wharf. Mr.. Middleby, who re-
ceived Birdie as sho was handed up,
started to rush with her to her mother
But, strangely enough, in the crush
and confusion of the crowd, he missed
his way, and stepping accidentally over
the side, fell with a plunge into the
water, carrying Birdie along with him.
| The colonel and Ben Piver were over
board in n moment, and soon had
her safe ashore; so that before they
brought her to Mrs. Tredloe she
had been rescued twice. Some
ono had run ahead to tell
the 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 as the col
onel entered with Birdie in his arms
there was cry of recognition on both
sides. b
Hs s1sT for CoI. ae1s}ses jack, 6e 6SsGsn slou ns
from Birdie to her mother, in whom
he beheld his lost love, formerly Eve
| lyn Carter. Her husband, Mr.. Tred.
loe, 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. Jaci,
Welsted and Mrs Tredloe were married
before tho season at Refers Point
was over, and that was how lie came
to be the stepfather of "Baby Bal
loon"
All this happened some fifteen years
before our conversation with the col
onel that evening on the piazza. The
day after he had recited the circum-
stances to us, Joo Terrill came to him
and said: Colonel, l was very much
interested in the story you told us last
night, but it spoiled 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 ker 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 were to attempt saving her again l
might be OVERRIDING matters. So I
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 has consented
10 marry mo if you'll give your ap-
proval. Will you9'
Col. Jack gave it. "I'm glad I
saved you the trouble, Joe," said ihe.
Its hard enough to win good wo-
mans love anyway, and if you've
done that much, you've done enough
to suit me. "-Georg, Parsons Lathr6p
in Harper's Bazaar.
Curious If True.