Year: 1868


upon the western world a magnificent
stranger from foreign parts, with all his
. travelling glories on. 1t was the great
comet of 1858, on the grand tour Of the
universe.


1t seemed strange that petty human life
could go on as usual with its eating aud
drinking, toiling, trafIicing and pleasurng
while that flaming minister, on his billion
lcagued circuit, was preaching the Won
ders Of infinite immensity and power, and
the nothingness of earth. The comet no
longer runs his kindling race, like Wick
Alpine's henchman, with his fiery cross
announcing war and disaster.


Under the tail of this particular comet
doubtless many tale of love was told-in
the light of his swift srlendor many a
tender look exchanged The astronomer
coolly swept the starry field with his glass,
unawed by the irregular night guard pa
trolling the heavens, aud the robber and
murderer disdained the awful witLess.
He left US as he found US. joined to our
idols, wise in our own conceit, weak and
worldly, and wicked, but not castaways of
the universe after ALL


We remember that comet summer, not
so much for its great Astronomical! event,
as for two singular incidents that more
nearly touched our human sympathies,
which will grovel in poor earthly affairs,
even within sight Of the most august ce-
lestial phenomena.


One pleasant Saturday afternoon during
the comets appearance, an aronaut, after
a pleasant and prosperous voyage, descend
cd upon farm in the ncighborhood of a
large market town in one of the western
states. lie was soon surrounded by Gu
rious group Of the family, and labtrers, all
asking eager questions about the voyage
and the management of the balloon. That
secured by an arbor and rope in the
hand vi the acronaut, its car but foot or
two above the ground, was swaying lazily
backward and forward in the evening air.
1t Vas good deal out of wind, and was a
sleepy and innocent monster in the eyes
of the farmer, who, with the owners per-
mission. led it up to his house, where, as
he said, he could hitch it to the fence
But before he thus secured it, his children
aged respectively ten, eight, and three,
begged him to lift them into the big bas-
ket, that they might sit on those pretty
red cushions. While the attention Of the
9ronaut vas diverted by more curious
questions from anothc farmer, this rash
father lifted his darlings one by one into
the car, chubby little. Johnny proved the
ounce too much for the aerial camel, and
brought him to the ground and then,
unluckily, not the baby, but tie eldest
hope of the family was lifted out. The
relief was too great for the monster The
volatile creatures spirits rose at once, he
jerkcd the halter out Of the farmers hand
and with wild bound mounted into the
air Vain was the Hronaut's anchor. Il
caught for moment in the fence, but it
tore away and was off, dangling uselessly
after the runaway balloon, which so swift
ly and steadily rose that in few minutes
those two little white faces peering over
the edge Of the car grew indistinct, and
those piteous cries "papa p" maman
grew fainter and fainter in the air.


When distance and twilight. mists hat
swallowed up voices and faces, and nothing
could be seen but the dark. cruel shape
sailing triumphantly away with its body
like an aerial privateer, the poor father
sank down helpless and speechless bu
the mother, frantic with grief, still stretch
ell her arms towards the inexorable
heavens, and called wildly up into the un
answerable void.


The Gronaut strove to console tn
wretched parents with the assurance tha
the balloon would descend within thirt
miles of the town, and that it might b.
we'll with the children provided it did no
come down in the water or in deep woods
10 event of its descending in a Favorable
spot, it was thought the older cLild nigh
step ont, leaving the younger in the ba
loon. Then it might again arise and con
tinue its voyage. "Ah, no." replied tn
; mother, Jennie would never stir fror
the ear without Johnny in her arms"
: The balloon passed directly over tn
market town, aud the children, seein
many people in the streets, stretched ou
their hands and called loudly for helr
, But the villagers, though they saw tn
: bright little heads, heard no call.


Amazed at the strange apparition, the
might have thought the translated littl