The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-02-14
BABY BALLOON.
BY GEORGE p, LATuRon,

How did she come by sucn oucc,
name" said Colonel Jack Wclsted. 70
peatlng the question that had been pu
TO him by one of our party. "Well
you may be sure she wasn't christened
so. During the first three years of hel
career l wasn't very we'll acquainted
with her--,in fact, never laid ewes or
her. But until the end of that period
she was known as Birdie; so Pm in
formed. Birdie Tredloe was her real
name. I'll toll you how she came tc
be called Baby Balloon"
The young person to whom he re.
ferNd was lovely girl of eighteen,
with dark hair, serious eyes, fresh healthy
color IN her checks, and q 1.-the figure,
80 graceful and buoyant that you m CHI
easily have expected her to icat away il
particularly strong breeze should han
pen TO blow across the seward looking
veranda at heefer's FONT, where we sat
talking. The idea that she might be
waited OIL by a breeze would be especially
apt to occur to you when you saw her
dancing in the great parlor, as she fire.
quently did of evenings. And | rather
thought that handsome Joe Terrill lone
OF our younger friends), who danced
with her great deal, would not have
objected to her floating away il he could
have been allowed to noat with her To
be plain, Joe was In love with Miss
Iredloe, or, as the Colonel called her,
"baby Ealloon." Joe Terrill had plenty
OF money, but he was not satisfied with
mat he wanted Miss Tredloe as well.
hen he did me the honor to contide
this to me one day, said to him: "Why
In the world, then, don't you ask her to
marry your" a
"Weli," he replied, II don't feel at all
sure that she cares enough for me to take
me Just for myself. | don't imagine she
would want me just for my money either.
The long and the short of it Is, l 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 the world except lust
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. Ny notion
is she wants a hero. Oh, by Jove.-
that's good idea. If could rescue hel
from mad dog or an angry bull, or save
her from drowning, then she'd be sure tc
have me-"
Infatuated bulls and mad dogs do no
turn up every day; and when they dc
make Their appearance it is likely enough
10 be Just at moment when we are no
prepared to cope with them. So, mo-
Delng able to impress these animals int,
MS service, Terrlllpersistently took Mis-
9redloe out sailing, as if with view t,
some opportune marine disaster. 1t wa
positively amusing to notice how h.
logged her footsteps with design or
her llfe-not the design OF destroying
It,, but of preserving it, so that sht
might share it with him.
But to return to Colonel 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 father, and that we all considered
him In that light, Notwithstanding the
difference in their names. He explained
this, however, in the course of the story
which he proceeded to narrate. Thai
story Is the enc am going to tell
here.
Colonel Jack Welsted was tall,
sinewy man W tn gaunt cheeks, and had
long red mustache that drooped and
slanted over the corners of his mouth
Ike a penant hanging idly from the
stan on a MINDLESS day. He was also
celebrated as a crack rfe-shot. He could
bring down almost anything Oh 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. lie failed
to come anywhere near touching the
1eart OF the lady whom he loved.
Evelyn Carter re ected him. and married
smother man, who was great deal hand
eomer than the Colonel, but, | regret tc
say, not nearly SO good.
Then Colonel Jack went off on hi:
travels, carrying his firearms with him
He made innumerable hunting trips, anG
shot endless numbers of deer, rabbits
Rocky Mountain goats, wild cats, ducks
prairie hens, and even alligators. For
long time it seemed as if he was tryiue
TO wreak on these unfortunate creatu G;
the disappointment of his affections
But all TO no purpose. He could not for
get Evelyn; and so far as he could Sc,
be was as much in love with her a ever
Thus it was that about four wears afte
her marriage he came wandering dowr
to this popular seashore resort of Refer
Point, where we were now staying, ant
where he now told us the story. / OTIS O
other people came there for their healtl
or for amusement. The Colonel cam
because he did not know what else to d,
and although there was not much shoot
ing to be had at Refers, he was con
stantly seen carrying his rifle about witt
him, in the crowds around the hotel, o
along the lonely beaches, or in the boa
which he hired Zen Piver to sail for hin
up and down and across the inlet, o
sometimes well out to sea. Peop
laughed at him little, good naturally
for Juggling the gun with him on all oc
casions. But he was greatly attached t,
it. He was lonely man, and the ri,
was his principle companion When h
was in romantic mood he would pa
the stock of the fine twist" barrel O
the gun aIectionately with his hand, re
marking: This rife. sir, is my bride
and she never talks exccp. when wan
her to-" At that remark his friend
would privately laugh more than ever
But they soon discovered, as sha
speedily demonstrate, that his romanti
attachment to the gun was very luck
thing, which rendered him and certai
other persons an unexpected and import
ant service.
Little Birdie Tredloe, then bright
brown haired oh Id of three, was a gres
favorite among the lsitors at the ,eei
er's Point Hotel, whittier she had bee
brought by her widowed mother 10 re
CO er from the efrc is of severe Hines
that had lasted Sc efal weeks. All th
old ladies and old gentlemen about til
pla, e, and even some of the young ones
were fond of talking with her an
petting her. But Colonel a k Welsted
If he had seen her at all. did not appes
to have noticed her. He aas much give
to solitude, and did not spea mu h @
his time on the hotel pa "a. Moreover
slthough fond of children, he could nc