New-York tribune., 1920-12-24
Family of Lost
Balloon Pilot
Wait for Santa
Christmas Spirit Pervades
Home, Where Wife and
? Children Give Theory
ON Which They Base Hope
Mrs. Farrell Only Uneasy
Thinks 3 Aeronauts May Be
Safe in Northern Wilds;
Canada Joins in Search

A mother and two children are ear
rving on their preparations for Christ
mas at 17oI Woodbine Street, Ridge
wood, while the secret that will spell
their happiness or misery remains
locked in snowoound northern Quebec
There In that desolate country must
have descended the naval balloon
Asses, which set out in violent gale
from Rockaway on December Is last
with three naval officers intent on set
ting a new record for their service and
their country.
The little family that waits for the
solution of the secret is that of Lieu
tenant Stephen A. Farrell, one Of the
officers Of the balloon.
Wife Still Hopeful
AWhy should l give up hope" asked
Mrs. Anna L. Farrell. somewhat proud
ly. in reply to the questions that were
put to her yesterday. HAS not my
husband frequently gone away on long
trips from home before on duty. and
oeen out of communication for days
and days? 1t is his duty
With her as she spoke stood her two
children, Eugene, fifteen years old, ana
Emily. fourteen years old. Eugene, a
student at the Manual Training High
school in Brooklyn, has carefully
studied all the information received
concerning the missing balloon. Over
the maps of New York State and Que
bee he has pored and traced upon
them the course Of the helpless bal
loon that carried his father. From them
ne has adduced the theories that help
to buoy up the expectant hopes of his
mother.
II am somewhat anxious to hear
from him, yes" continued Mrs. Farrell,
but | believe, and l have studied the
problem, too, that he is safe with his
comrades in some isolated part OF
Canada.
perhaps they have landed near a
forest, and have caught up with trap
pers who are now starting out.
realize that it is next to impossible
sor strangers to find their way out of
some OF the Canadian forests without
guides. 1t would be a perlous trip and
probably the trappers are taking care
Of them, but cannot abandon their
work to guide the men out of the forest
at this time. Ny husband and his COM
rades will have to stay with the trap
pers until they have time and oppor-
tunity to take them to some place from
which they can communicate with u.s."
Prepared for Christmas
AS she paused. the interviewer caught
a glimpse of the preparations for
Christmas that had been made in the
Farrell home to welcome back it's head.
These preparations have been but little
dampened by the secret fears that now
beset the mother and her children.
Only yesterday had ell hope been aban-
doned that the father might return in
time to partake of the Yuletide cele-
brations. Mrs. Farrell continued:
at is q rule that when navy or
army men start out on hazardous
trip, such as this endurance contest,
if there is an accident and the men
land safely they are to stay in that
safe spot, knowing that within rea-
sonabie time, if they have not been
heard from, search will be started
With the dispatch of Lieutenant Evans
from the naval air station at Rock
away to Ottawa to assist the Canadian
government, the search has just begun.
Eugene and Emily here are both
very confident that their father will re-
turn safely. Eugene points out that
the trappers usually stay out on their
winter campaigns about six months,