Year: 1868

)VEMBER u, 1868.


sunset spleudor, they sailed deeper and
deeper into the West, and faded away.


Some company they had, the poor lit
tie sky waits. Something comforted them
and allayed their wild terrors-something
whispered them that below the night and
clouds was home; that above was God ;
that wherever they might drift or clash /.
living or dead, they would still be in His
domain and under His care-that though
borne away among the stars they could
not be lost, for His love would follow
them.


When the sunlight all wentaway and the
great comet came blazing out, little John
ny was apprehensive that the comet might
come too near to their airy craft, and set
it on fire with whisk of its dreadful tail.
But when his sister assured him that the
fiery dragoon was ''as much as twenty
miles away" and that God wouldn't let
him hurt them, he was tranquilized, but
soon after said, II wish he would come a
little nearer, so I could warm myself, I'm
so cold


Then Jennie took off her apron, and
wrapped it about the child, saying tender
ly, "This is all sister has to make you
warm, darling, but she'll hug you close
in her arms, and we will say our prayers
and you shall 60 to sleep"


"Why, how can I say my prayers be-
fore I have my supper?" asked little John
ny.


"Sister hasn't any supper for you, or
for herself, but we must pray all the hard
er," solemnly responded Jennie.


So the two baby-wanderers, alone in
the wide heavens, unawed by darkness,
immensity and silence, by the presence Of
the great comet and the millions of un-
plying stars, lifted their little clasped
hands, and sobbed out their sorrowful
"Our father" and then that quaint little
supplementary prayer:


CHOW lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep;
I'll should die before wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take"
"There! God heard that. easy; for we
are close to him up here," said innocent
little Johnny.


Doubtless Divine Love stopped to hear
the little ones, and folded them in perfect
peace-for soon the younger, sitting on
the bottom of the car, with his head lean
ing against his sisters knee, slept as
soundly as though he was lying in his
own little bed at home, while the elder
watched quietly through the long hours.
and the car foated gently on in still
night air, till it began to sway and rock
on the fresh morning wind.


Who can imagine that simple little
child's thoughts, speculations, and wild
imaginings, while watching through those
hours? She may have feared coming in
collision with a meteor-for many were
abroad that night, scouts and heralds of
the great comet-or perhaps being cast
away on some desolate star island; or
more dreary still, floating and floating on.
night and day, till they should both die
Of cold and hunger. Poor babes in the
clouds


At length, a happy change. or Provi-
dence-we will say Providence-guided
the little girls wandering hand to cord
connected with the valve. Something
told her to pull it. At once the balloon
began to sink, slowly and gently, as
though let down by tender hands; or as
though some celestial pilot guided it thro'
the wild currents of air, not letting it drop
into lake or river, lofty wood or impen-
etrable swamp, where this strange, un-
childlike experience might have been
closed by death of unspeakable horror,
but causing it to descend as softly as a
bird alights on spot where human care
and pity awaited it.


The sun had not yet risen, but the
morning twilight had come, when the lit
tie girl, looking over the edge Of the car,
saw the dear old earth coming nearer
''rising towards them," she said. But
when the car stopped. to her great disap-
pointment, it was not on the ground, but
caught fast in the topmost branches of a
tree. Yet she saw they were near house
whence help might soon come. SO she a.
wakened her brother and told him the
good news. and together they watched and
waited for deliverance, hugging each 9th
er for Joy and warmth, for they were
cold. -% s. ~


Farmer Burton, who lived in lonely
house on the edge of his own private prai-
rie, was famous sleeper in general. but
, IN this narticu1ar occasion he avoka be-