Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1899-03-18
BABIES IN A BALLOON.
The Thrilling Adventure of Two IL.
IInOIs Children MRny Years
Ago,

Mr.. William Harvey and his sister
Miss Mary, living about six miles cas-
of Richyiew, ILL.,, tell a very interesting
story of themselves which happere.
a number of years ago.
They were quite small, the boy beina
five and his sister seven years old
During the year 1855. while the state
fair wa being held ut Central City, III.
an aeropaut of Chicago made an aseen,
sion in 4 balloon at the state fair on
Saturday morning, and his balloon
came down about six miles east CT
Richview, near the country residence
of William Harvey, ST.. The owner Of
the balloon, feeling chilled, went into
the farmhouse to warm and tied his
balloon to "A rail fence near the barn.
Little Willie and Mary were PLAYING
near the barn. They noticed the bal
loontiedtc t~sefence. As they had never
seen a balloon, they walked up tc
take a look at ii, Seeing it would &c
up a few feet and back again, they
thought it would be 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 awhile
then all at once it gave a lunge and
pulled itself loose from the fence. Ur
and up it went with the little Harvey
children in the basket. The mother
was looking out of a window and, see.
ing the balloon going up, told the
that his balloon had got away
from the fence, and they all went out to
see it, The mother came, and as she
watched the balloon going up, she no.
ticed someone in the basket. Not onct
old she think it was her two little chill. |
dren, nor could she believe it to be her
two children when her husband tolG
her the children were no where to be
found. A search was made all over the
farm for the missing ones, but without
result. The father at once drove tc
home, a short distance from his farm
ana told the story. At once people fol
lowed after the balloon. 1t went north
about five miles, then turned west. 90,
ing over Central City, Everyone at the
tar thinking the aeronaut was making
hls return, cheered and cheered as the
balloon went over. Soon a telegram
was received AT Central CITY stating
'iat the balloon contained the two chill.
dren OF Mr.. and Mrs. William Harvey
ana to keep a lookout for it. But il
was growing late and the balloon was
travelling fast. Soon it was impossible
to see IT, 1t went south, passed through
Centralia, ILL.,, then turned west again
ana went over Mascoutah. Ill.,. Their
turned and went over East st. Iouis
The little boy began to get cold and
to cry. Mary united her
ipron and put it around Willie's head
ana lie went to sleep in Mary's lap.
About seven O'Clock the next morning
ne balloon came down in a large tree
a farm southeast of Mount Vernon
H. Inc owners of the farm, seeing the
'alloon IN their tree, the lady of the
louse cried out TO her husband:
oh, John, God has sent us some chill.
iren in a basket"
John got the children out of the free
.ook them into the house, and after
hey were warm, asked Mary who her
parents were. She told them, and the
armer took them home.
Many of the visitors to the state fair
II 1853 well remember the above story.
md may be pleased to know that the
title children who made this trip are
living and delight in telling of it, ,
ST. Louis Globe Demnrrnt '