The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-02-15
BABY BALLOON

How did she como by such queer
Nance" said Col Jack Wclsted re-
peating the question that had been put
to him by one of our party. We'll,
you may be sure that she wasn't
christened so. During the first three
years of her career wasn't very well
acquainted with her-in fact, never
laid eyes on her. But until the end
Of that period she was known as Biz
die; SO I'm informed. Birdie Tredloe
was her real name I'll tell you how
she came to be called Baby Bal
loon.
The young person TO whom he re-
ferred was lovely girl of IS, with
dark hair serious eyes, fresh healthy
color in her checks, and 1.-THE figure,
so graceful and bouyant that you
might easily have expected her to
float away if a particularly strong
breeze should happen to blow across
the seward looking vcranda of the
hotel at Refers Point where we sat
talking The idea that she might be
waited off by breeze would be es-
pecially apt to occur TO you when you
saw her dancing III the great parlor,
as sho frequently did of evenings.
And Irather thought chat handsome
Joe Tcrrill zone of our younger
friends), who danced with her q great
deal, would not have objected TO her
floating away if he could have been
allowed to float with her. To be
plain, Joe was in love with Miss Tired
loe, or, as the colonel called her,
Baby Balloon. Joe Terrill had
plenty of money, but he was not salts
fled with that; he wanted Miss Tired
loo as well. When he did mo the
honor to confido this TO me one day,
said to him, why in the world, then,
don't you ask her to marry you2n
We'll" he replied, Il don't feel at
all sure that she cares enough. for me
TO take me just for myself. don't i'm
agine she would want me just for my
money either. The long and the short
of it is, | 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 just to be born and
to inherit this wealth. Now if had
only done some great action or made
name for myself, | might possibly
expect to win her. My notion is she
wants hero. Oh, by Jove that's a
good idea If could rescue her from
a mad dog or an angry bull, or save
her from drowning, then she'd be
sure TO have INC.
Infatuated bulls and mad dogs do
turn up every day; and when they do
make their appearance ii IS likely
enough TO be Just at a moment when
we arc not prepared TO cope with them.
So, not being able TO impress these
animals into bis service Icrrill per
sistently took Miss Tredloc out sailing,
as if with view to some opportunc
marine disaster. 1t was positively
amusing 10 notice how he logged her
footsteps with a design on her life
not the design of destroying it, but of
preserving it, so that she might share
it with him.
But TO return to Col. Welsted. His
declaration that he had not known the
young lily for the first three years of
her existence seemed rather strange,
CT ring that she looked upon him
as Lhcr, and chat we all considered
him In that light, notwithstanding the
difference in their names. He ex-
planned this, however, in the course
of tho story which he proceeded TO
narigIte. That story is the one am
going to tell here.
Col. Jack Welsted was tall, sinewy
man with gaunt checks, and had
long rcd mustache that dropped and
slanted over the corners Of his mouth
like Il pennant hanging idly from the
staff on MINDLESS day. lie was also cele-
brated MS q crack ride shot. He could
bring down almost anything ON the
wing, and could hit all sorts of marks,
ut all ranges. But his certainty Of aim
with the rifle did not seem to help him
when he came TO love matters. He
failed TO come anywhere near touching
the heart Of tho lady whom he loved.
Evelyn Carter rejected him, and mar
ried another man, who was Il great
deal handsomer than the colonel, but,
l regret 10 say, not nearly SO good.
Then Col. Jack went oil on his
travels, carrying his lirc arms with
him. lie made innumcroblo hunting
trips, and shot endless numbers of
deer, rabbits, Rocky Mountain goats,
wild cats, ducks, prairie hens and even
alligators. For long time it seemed
rs if he was trying to wreak on these
unfortunate creatures the disappoint-
ment of his affections. But all to no
purpose. He could not forget Evelyn;
and SO far as he could see he was as
much in love with her as ever. Thus
it was that about four years after her
marriage he came wandering down TO
this popular sea shore resort Of
Refers Point, where we were now
staying, and where he now told us
the story. Lots Of other people came
there for their health or for amuse-
ment. The colonel came because Inc
did not know what else to do and al
though there was not much shooting
to be had at Refers, he was con-
stantly seen carrying his rifle about
with him, in the crowds about tho
hotel, OF along the lonely beaches, or
in tho boat which he hired Ben Pivcr
to sail for him up and down and
across the inlet, or sometimes well out