The Anaconda standard., 1899-03-14
BABIES FROM THE CLOUDS.
Inc arrival of Two Infants in the Basket
of a Runaway Balloon


William Harvey and his sister, Miss
Mary, living about six miles east of
Richview. ILL.,. tell a very interesting
| story of themselves, which happened a
number of years ago
They were quite small, the boy be-
ing about and his sister years old.
During the year 1858. while the state
fair was being held at Central City ILL.,,
an aeronaut of Chicago made an ascen-
sion in balloon at the state fair on
Saturday morning, and his balloon came
down about six miles east Of here. near
the country residence of William Har-
Vey, ST. The owner of the balloon, feel
ing 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 balloon tied to the fence,
ana, as they had never seen 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 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 I'D
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 looking out
ing up told the aeronaut that his bal
loon 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 noticed some one in the
basket Not once did she think it was
her two little children, nor could she be-
lieve 1t to be her two children when her
husband told her the children were no.
where to be found.
A was made oD o,-ar ha far,,,
for the missing ones. but without result
The father at once drove to Rome a
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 aeronaut was making his
return, cheerpd and cheered as the bal
loon went over. Soon telegram was
received at Central City stating that
the balloon contained the two little chill
dIen of Mr. and Mrs. William Harvey
and to keep lookout for it. But it was
growing late and the balloon was trav-
cling fast Soon it was impossible to
see it. 1t 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 Marys lap.
About o'clock the next morning the
balloon came down in a large tree on a
farm southeast of Mount Vernon. ILL.,
The owners of the farm seeing the bal
loon in their tree, the lady of the house
cried out to her husbands:
''Oh, John. God has sent us some chill
dren in a basket"
,J0hD cot the children ont of the tree
took them into the house and after they
We're 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 this trip are
now living and delight in telling it
New York Sun.