The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-22
Babies From the Sky.

Mr.. William Harvey and his sister,
Miss Mary, living aboutsix miles east
of Richview, ILL.,, tell very interest
ing story Of themselves, which hap
pened number Of years ago.
They were quite small, the boy be-
ing about 5 and his sister years old.
During the year 1858, when the State
Fair was being held at Central City,
ILL.,, an aeronaut of Chicago made an
ascension in balloon at the State
Fair on Saturday morning, and his
balloon came down about six miles
east Of there, near the country resi-
dence of William Harvey, Sr. The
owner Of the balloon, feeling chilled,
went into the farm house to warm and
tied his balloon to rail fence near
the barn. Little Willie and Mary
were playing near the barn. They no.
ticed the balloon tied to the fence, and
as they had never seen a balloon they
walked up to take look at it. See.
ing that it would go up a few feet and
then back again, they thought itwould
be great fun to get in the basket and
ride. Mary helped her little brother
in and then she got in. The balloon
went up and down while; then all at
once it gave lunge and pulled itself
loose from the fence. Up and up it
went. with the little Harvey children
in the basket. The mother was look
ing out of window. and seeing the
balloon going upwards told the aero
naut that his balloon had got away
from the fcncc, and they all went out
to watch it. The mother came: and
as she watched the ballon going up
she noticed someone in the basket.
Not once did she think it was her
two little children, nor could she be-
lieve it to be her two children when
her husband told her the children
were nowhere to be found.
A search was made all over the farm
for the missing ones. but without re-
suit. The father 1T once drove to
Rome, short distance from his farm,
and told the story. At once people
followed after the balloon. 1t went
north about five miles: then turned
west, going over Central City. Every
one at the fair, thinking the acrouaut
was making his return, chcered and
cheered as the balloon wento over. Soon
telegram was received at Central
City stating that the balloon contain
ed the two children Of Mr. and Mrs.
William Harvey and to kcepa a lookout
for it. But it was growing late and
the balloon was travelling fast. Soon
it was impossible to see it. Ii went
south: passed through Centralia, ILL.,.
then turned west again and went over
Mascoutah, ILL.,, and then turned and
went over East St. Louis.
The little boy began to get cold and
commenced to cry. Mary united her
apron and put it around Willie's head
and he went to sleep in Mary S lap.
About Z clock the next morning the
balloon came down in large tree on
a farm southeast of Mount Vernon, III.
The owners of the farm seeing the
balloon in their tree the lady of the
house cried out to her husband:
"Oh, John God has sent US some
children in basket. y
John got the children out of the
tree, took them into the house, and
after they were warm asked Mary who
her parents were. She told them and
the farmer took them home.
Many Of the visitors to the State
Fair in 1858 will remember the above
story. and may be pleased to know
that the little children who made the
trip are now living and delight in tell
ing it.-.St. Louis GloJc.Dcmocrut.