Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1889-03-09
BABY BALLOON
~ ofonGt r. %I.THHoP.

FL GfbHGf r. .ifFoP
GLOW did she con ~ -ucn.a queer
name said Co5onci ack Nelsted, re.
peating the q%u',f."a tHat had Eeen put
to HIM By one q or party. We'll,
you MAJ he sure eha wasn't chu,tened
80 During Nhe inst three year, Of her
career visit very we'll acquainted
with her in faGf, never laid ewes on
her. But until the end Of that period
she wa, known q, Birdie 50 IN in
formed. Birdie Tredloe was her real
name. I'll tei, you how she came TO
be called Ib4tE Balloon"
The yoteag p"rson TO whom he re
ferred was a lovely girl Of eighteen,
with dark hair, serious eyes, fresh healthy
color in her checks, and a 1.-The figure,
SO graceful and buoynnt that YOU m ght
easily have c>rec,e her to t'oat away if
o particularly strong hrcc Q should hap.
pen t. blow atro.- the scawaId. looking
veranda ii | eefers ONT, where we sat
talking. The idea that She might be
waited OF by a breeze would G especially
apt 10 occur 10 you whcn YOU saw her
danclhg IN the great parlOr, as she fire.
qnenlly dld OF evening" And rather
thought that handsome zoe Terrlll zone
OF our younger friends, who danced
with her a great deal, would not have
oh tcted 10 her floating away II he could
have been allowed to float with her. To
be plain. Joe wa in love with Miss
Tredloe, or, as the Colonel called her.
"Bahv l'alloon." Joe Terrlll had plenty
OF money, but h, was not satisfied with
that lie wanted Mss Tired oc as well.
When he did me the honor to contide
this to me one day, SAID t. HIM "Why
IN the world, then, don't YOU ask her to
marry yout"
"Well," he replied, IL don't feel at all
sure That she cares enough for me to take
me Inst for myself. don't imagine she
would want M lust for my money either.
The long and the short Of IT Is, | don't
amount 10 enough. Ny money came to
me by inheritance, 50 that's nothing to
my credit. And haven't done ANYTHING
of importance in the world except Just
to be horn aud TO inherit this wealth.
Now If had only done some great action
or mad n name for myself, might
possibly expect to win her. Ny notion
is she wants a hero. Oh, by Jove-
that's a good :dca II could rescue her
from a mad dog or az angry bull, or save
her from drowning, then she'd be sure to
have me-
Infatuated bulls and mad dogs do not
turn np every day and when hey do
make ther appearance It's likely enough
10 he uNt al a one when we are not
prepared To cope with them. 50. not
being able 10 impress thee animals into
his service, Tcrrll per>istcntly took Miss
Tredl"r out 81 ling, asst With a view to
tome "pportune marine disaster. 1t was
POSITIVELY aunlSlnp To nntirn how bo
logged hcr footsteps with u dcs On on
nel i' rot the design OF destroying
u, hui Of preserving II. SO that she
might snare 1t with hun.
Bnt 10 return to to'onel Welsted.
iil' declaration that he had no. known
the young lady for the first three wears
OF her existence seemed rather strange.
considering that she looked upon him
as a ialIler, and that We all considered
nm III that iEht, Notwithstanding the
alhetenee IN their names. He explained
this, however, in the course of the story
which he proceeded to narratc. Thar
story Is The enc | am going to tell
here.
'oioneI da'k Nelsted was a tail,
s"S '"a" ~ Sauh' cheeks. ana had
Si'hs 'ed hus'a'he That dropped am
- - = '''nc'> 81 NJ montf
l'""'' hanging lhly from III
on " "lh'l'Ss Gay lie was ai>t
,.ie''"'eh rs" SRI : rne-shot. he conlc
or'hI Gown a,hoSf anything on tht
"''E' ana 'oNli MT az sorts CT marks,
at all ranges. But his certainty OF am
with the rifle did not seem TO help hin
when he came 10 love matters. Tie faiicc
10 come anywhere near touching In,
neart OF the lady whom h. loved.
Evelyn Carter re, ectel HIM. and marie,
another man, who wssa great deal hand