Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1889-03-09

the motion of his catboat and the .
progress Of the balloons through the air
made it difficult for him to take sure
aim. The first shot had no effect. Ben
Piver gave a short. disguised laugh,
Then the Colonel grew mad" lie
perceived how tina, the harbor was full
of boats coming down toward him, and
that there was a big crowd on the shore
watching the proceeding.
IF | don't hit this time" said he to
Ben. as he put a fresh cartridge into the
breech. my regulations gone, and /
leave Refers Point to night"
Crack went the second shot The
Colonel and Ben heard its mournful
"whoo' as it sped through the brigh.
air and almost instantly one If the bal
looms collapsed and shrlveled up. An
audible cheer came blowing out from
the people on shore and in the boats.
and Colonel Jack loaded again.
But lust imagine how Mrs. Tredloe
| felt when sac sa that puff of gun smoke
| from the ca,boat, and realized that some
| one was firing at Birdie, She had barely
recovered from her fainting fit when
| this happened Better to let her drown
or blow away beyond recovery than d.
that" she gasped. in anguish. why,
it is murder Can't any one stop that
man from s~hootlngF
Or. Haygood and her friends tried 10
explain the matter to her, but she
tainted again before they could do SO.
And it was lucky for her that she lie
came unconscious, because the gallant
Colonel Wa. blazing away aga n with his
ri g al closer range. Another Of the
balloons was punctured, and seemed to
vanish. Colonel Jacks catboat all the
time drew nearer to a spot On the water
iust below the lowering baby, who now
hung suspended, fortunately very close
to a long sand sp t that iutted out into
the inlet lust Leyond the harbor's mouth.
One more shot finished off a third
balloon, and there were not enough left
in the bunch now to hold Bird up.
SLOWLY steadily, softly. she began to de
scend, precisely as if he were being let
downward bG a pair Of arms. moving
gently. and in a few minutes tolone.
lack had the satisfaction of seeing her
sink quietly and comfortably down OF
the sand heap, with the remaining
balloons still t1uttering around her like
so many huge bubbles of gorgeous
color.
His boat was the first to reach the point
VI tiNA III ' 1CdpCo ~ Tau "
the child, and turning, waved his hat as
he shouted to the assembled fleet
| "Gentlemen, she's alive ana kicking"
whereat another cheer arose, long and
t loud.
: Colonel Jack all but wept over Il
a child as he caught her upand kissed her.
But Birdie, on landing amid the sand,
had calmly and unconcernedly begun
playing with it. Her hands were full of
4 little shells. ''Dese for mamma she
) remarked, cheeifully.
' He hurried her into his boat, and sailed
back to the wharf, accompanied by the
rest of the fleet. There was a tremen-
dous press of men aud women on The
n wharf. Mr.. MiddIebv, who received
8 Birdie as she was handed up, started to
rush With her to her mother. But,
strangely enough, in the crush and con
fusion Of the crowd, he missed his way
and stepping accidently over the slde,feil
: with a plunge into the water, carrying
Birdie along with him. The Colonel and
: Ben Piver were overheard in a moment,
q and soon had her sac ashore; so that
before they brought her to Mrs. Tredloe
she had been rescued twice. Some one
q had run ahead to tell the poor mother
tith an 'oh" -
a ~IIaygood's hell she rose up on her couch
q to welcome t little maiden back: and
n as the Colonel entered with Birdie in hi
II arms there was a cry of recognition OF
y both sides.
> "Jack Welsted "excla;med the widow,
in establishment.
As for Colonel Jack, he stood gazing
!. from Birdie TO her mother. in whom hs
y hchcld his lost love. formerly EvelyI
! Carter. Her husband. Mr.. Tredloe, hac
! d ca not long after Birdie was born bu
Colonel Jack had known nothing abou'
: IN $. having heard no news of them TO
:, three years or more.
The end Of it was that Colonel Jack
Welsted and Mrs. Treiloe were married
; before the season at eefers Point wa!
over, aud that was how he came to b.
y the step father Of "Taby Balloon
All this happened some fifteen year
~ before our conversation with the Colo
mel, that evening On tie piazza. The day
: after he had lecitcd the ,ircumstan es tc
us. Joe Terrill came to him and said
he Colonel, | was very much interested II
the story You told Is last night, but j
spoiled a little plan Of mine. | have
"a been intend ny TO save Miss Brides lif.
; myself as soon as | Gould get a COCO
$ chance to do so. preparatory to asking
'g her To marry me. Iut a. found you
G. had already saved her life twi c, ffteer
Y Years ago,t the wind seemed TO have beer
lie taken clean out Of my sa Is 1t O curre0
Sc to me that if | We're to attempt saving
70 her again m chit be OVERRIDING matters
50 | have spoken to her TO day, and sh'
agree; with me. She says it's no use m,
s waiting around to rescue her, heca 81
IL the opportunity might not occur in
sc long While. and she has consented ,tt
$. marry me if you'll give your approval
OF Will ,ou5
be Colonel .'ack gave it. I'm glad
saved YOU the trouble, Joe" "a 4 ne
.. ITS hard enough IN win a woman
as love anyway, and II You've done tina
be much, You've done enough TO suit me.
We -Narp = Ia ".