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

y
Ky thing, which rendered him and |
ys:tain other persons an unexpected
AND Importance Service.
little Birdie Trcdloe, then n bright,
brown haired child Of 3, was great
favoritc among tho visitors at the
Refers Point hotel, whittier she had
Eccn brought by her widowed mother
t,prccovcr from the effects of severe
illness that had lasted several weeks.
All the old ladies' and old gentlemen
ahhut the place, and oven some Of the
young ones. were fond Of talking with
her and pctting her But Col. jack
Wclstcd, if he had seen her at all. did
not appear to have noticed her. lie
was much given to solitude, and did
not sl,,:d much of his time on the
hotel Piazza. Moreover, although fnud
OF children. he could not.help rcn,t.n,
hcring his disappointment III i;bi -
ing able To marry Evelyn Carter, and
tho sight Of 4 pretty child frequently
made him melancholy by reminding
him That lie had mono Of his own.
Ecsidcs, lac had been at the hotel only
two on three days when the important
event connected with Birdie took
place. 1t is certain that he had not
once seen her with her mother, and
did not even know her name.
One afternoon when brisk wind
was blowing of shore, the colonel
had gone out in his boat with Ben
Pivcr, taking his gun us usual, and
promising himself shot ut somo stray
sea gull if he could find no better
game. Some of the visitors were BATH
on the steamboat wharf, and some
were promenading in front of the
hotel; while Il group Of children Mt the
Indian tept, not far away, were buy.
ing bead moccasins and birch bark
baskets The vcranda was crowded,
and Mrs. Trcdloc was sitting there
with little Birdie, when benevolent
old DR.. Haygood happened along, and
asked tie widow if he might take the
child down to the tent to buy some
thing for her Mrs. Trcdloo consented,
and tho old gentleman and his little
companion descended tho steps to-
gether. Before they had reached the
tent, and as they were walking along
the high ground close above tho
water, they met an Italian peddler
who had couple Of dozen toy bal
looms for sale, all fastened by long
strings TO stick, and bobbing merrily
in tho nir above his head.
"Oh, beautiful big applesl" en-
claimed Birdie, rapturously, her
sparkling eyes fixed on the largo clas-
tic crimson globes, which she seemed
TO mistake for fruit. Give Birdie
onc?"
DR.. Haygood began to bargain with
| tho Italian, and took tho stick from
him to select balloon from the bunch,
His small friend was delighted, imag
lining she was to have the entire
bunch.
"All-all for mel" sho cried, and
clapping her hands, shc. stretched
them out toward tho coveted treasure
Of the dancing air globes.
This so amused tho kind hearted
doctor that he resolved to humor her,
for moment at any rate. So gather
ing the long strings together, he tied
them around Brides waist, then let
so, and the balloons all iloated up
around and above her head and shoul-
ders, making n gay spectacle of her.
The doctora and the Italian both stood
by, smiling at her satiSretion, when
suddenly to their amazement, q strong
gust of wind caused all the balloons to
sway to ono side, sweeping Birdie off
j., happened SO unexpectedly that,
before they could do anything to pre,
vent, the light little creature was
borne away by the cluster of fantastic
looking crimson balls, up and Off over
the water. And rs the wind was off
shore, 1t seemed inevitable that she
would be carried by it across the
mouth OF tho inlet straight out TO sea.
Great hcavcns!" shouted the doc
tor in helpless horror.
The Italian, slnittcn with DESPAIR at
the loss of his balloons, began a fren-
Zied dance, at the same time exclaim-
ing TO the unhappy old gentleman,
You payee me-a for all-a those-a you
payce ALA"
The bathers in tho water observed
tho extraordinary sight of little girl
cheerfully sailing through tho air
with her improvised flying machine,
and stood gaping upward in amaze
mcnt. Everybody ON shore became
aware ofthe catastrophe in an instant,
and began. running to and fro in O
hubbub. Mrs. Tredloc, on tho ve-
randa, tainted, and DR.. Haygood
was called up to restore her, while
tho Italian vainly tried to keep one
eye on him for security of payment,
and to follow with his other eye tho
iiSHI oi Tie DallOOnS In tho opposite
direction.
A dozen men hurried to tho waters
edge, launching row boats and sail
boats, with which they tried to chase
the shadow of Birdie and the balloons,
SO as to be on hand at tho right SPOT
whenever she should drop into the
water. But it was o hopeless pursuit.
She don't show any sign of drop
ping" shouted Mr.. Middleby, who was
steering the foremost boat. "She
moves through tho air faster than we
can get over the water; and unless
those air bags explode or fall off she
will be swept SO far from land that we
never shall get her."
ALI OF once help camc from an un-
foreseen quarter, and ono at least of
tho balloons did explode. 1t happened
in this way: Col. Welsted's big cat
boat was seen rounding the point