, 1889-03-07

Will nun on all OCCASIONS. But he
was greatly attached to it he was a
lonely man, and the rifle was his prin-
cipal companion. When he was in n
romantic mood he would pat the stock
or the fine twist" barrel of the gun
affectionately with his hand, remark
ing, This rifle, sir, is my bride, and
she never talks except when | want
her to-" At hat remark his friends
would privately laugh more than ver.
But they soon discovered, as / shall
speedily demonstrate, that his roman
tic attachment to the gun was a very
lucky thing, which rendered him and
certain other persons an unexpected
and importance service.
Little Birdie Tredloe, then a bright,
brown haired child OF 3, was q great
favorite among the visitors at the
Refers Point hotel, whittier she had
been brought by her widowed mother
TO recover from the effects Of q severe
illness that had lasted several weeks.
All the old ladies and old gentlemen
about the place, and even some of the
young ones, were fond of talking with
her and petting her. But Col. Jack
Welsted, If he had seen her at all, did
not appear to have noticed her. He
was much given to solitude, and did
not spend much Of his time on the
hotel piazza. Moreover, although fond
OF children, he could not help remem-
bering his disappointment in not be-
ing able TO marry Evelyn Carter, and
the sight of a pretty child frequently
made him melancholy by reminding
him hat he had none of his own.
Besides, he had been at the hotel only
two or three days when the important
event connected with Birdie took
place. 1t is certain that he had not
ono seen her with her mother, and
did not ever know her name.
One afternoon when q brisk wind
was blowing off shore, the colonel
had gone out in his boat with Ben
Piver, taking his gun as usual, and
promising himself a shot at some stray
sea gull il he could find no better
game. Some Of the visitors were bath
ing on the beach, others were sitting
on the steamboat wharf, and some
were promenading in front of the
hotel; while n group of children at the
Indian tent, not far away, were buy
ing bead moccasins and birch bark
baskets. Tho veranda was crowded,
and Mrs. Tredloe was sitting there
with little Birdie, when benevolent
old DR.. Haygood happened along, and
asked the widow if he might take the
child down TO the tent to buy some
thing for her. Mrs. Tredloe consented,
and the old gentleman and his little
companion descended the steps to-
gether. Before they had reached the
tent, and rs they were walking along
the high ground close above the
water, they met an Italian peddler
who had q couple of dozen toy bal
looms for sale, all fastened by long
strings to a stick, and bobbing merrily
in the air above his head.
ooh, beautiful big applesl" ex-
claimed Birdie, rapturously, her
sparkling eyes fixed on the large elias
tie crimson globes, which she seemed
to mistake for fruit. "Give Birdie
one2"
DR.. Haygood began to bargain with
the Italian, and took the stick from
him to select a balloon from the bunch.
His small friend was delighted, imag-
lining she was to have the entire
bunch. e
"All-all for mel" she cried, and
clapping her hands, she stretched
them out toward the coveted treasure
of the dancing air globes.
This SO amused the kind hearted
doctor that he resolved to humor her,
for a moment at any rate. So gather
ing the long strings together, he tied
them around Brides waist, then let
60, and the balloons all foated up
around and above her head and shout
ders, making a gay spectacle of her.
The doctor and the Italian both stood
by, smiling at her satisfaction, when
suddenly to their amazement, q strong
gust of wind caused all the balloons to
sway to II side, sweeping Birdie off
her feet and gracefully up into the
dir.
1t 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 as the wind was off
shore, it seemed inevitable that she
would be carried by it across the
mouth of the inlet straight out to sea.
Great heavensv shouted the doc
tor in helpless horror.
Tho Italian, smitten with despair at
the loss of his balloons, began a fren-
zied dance, at the same time exclaim-
ing 70 the unhappy old gentleman,
~ pdg CO lit lOT dllu lllO5c7d4 you
payee all-aI'
The bathers in the water observed
the extraordinary sight of a little girl
cheerfully sailing through the air
with her improvised flying machine,
and stood gaping upward in amaze
ment Everybody on shore became
aware ofthe catastrophe in an instant,
and began running to and fro in a
hubbub. Mrs. Tredloe, on the We
randa, tainted, and DR.. Haygood
was called up to restore her, while
the Italian vainly tried TO keep one
eye on him for security of payment,
and to follow with his other eye the
flight Of the balloons in the opposite
direction.
A dozen men hurried to the 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 the right spot
whenever she should drop into the
water. But it was q hopeless pursuit.
''She don't show any sign of drop
ping" shouted Mr.. Middleby, who was
Staerinp the foremoSt boat ssCba