Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-04-19
BABIES FROM THE CLOUDS.
The Arrival of Two Infants In the Basket Of a
Runaway Balloon.

Mr.. William Harvey and his sister,
Miss Mary, living about six miles east
Of Richview, ILL.,, tells very interest
ing story Of themselves, which hap
pened a number of years ago.
They were quite small, the boy being
about five and his sister seven years
old. During the year 1858, while 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 here, near the country resi-
dence 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 balloon tied to the fence and, as
they had never seen q balloon, they
walked up to take look at it. Seeing
that it would so up q 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 up
and down a while; then all at once it
gave a 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
Of a window, and seeing the balloon
going up told the aeronaut 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 noticed some one
in the basket. Not once did she think
i as her two little children, nor could
she believe it to be her two children
when her husband told her the chill
dren were nowhere to be found.
a search was made all over the farm
for the missing ones, but without re-
suit. The father at once drove to
Rome, a short distance from his farm,
and told the story. At once people
followed the balloon. 1t went north
about five miles, then turned west,
going over Central City. Everyone at
the fair, thinking the aeronaut was
making his return, cheered and cheered
as the balloon went over. Soon
telegram was received at Central City
stating that the balloon contained the
two little children Of Mr.. and Mrs.
William Harvey and to keep q lookout
for it. But it was growing late and
the balloon was travelling fast. Soon
it was impossible to see it. 1t went
south, west again and went over Ias-
coutah, ILL.,, and then turned and went
over East st. Louis.
The little boy commenced to get cold
and began to cry. Mary united her
apron and put it around Willie's head
and he went to sleep in Mary's lap.
About seven o'clock the next morning
the balloon came down in large tree
ON q farm southeast Of Mount Vernon,
| Ill. 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 q basket"
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 1853 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.