Year: 1868

tie stars. they could not be lost, for His
love would follow them.


When the sunlight all went away, and
the great comet came blazing out, little
Johnny was apprehensive that it might
come too near their airy craft and set it
on fire with whisk of its fiery tail. But
when his sister assured him that the fiery
dragon was "as much as twenty miles
away" and that God wouldn't let him
hurt them, he was tranquilized, but soon
afterwards said, q" 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 ten
derly. =" this is all sister has to make you
warm, darling, but she'll hug yon close in
her arms, and we will say our prayers and
you shall go to Sleep"


"Why, how can I say my prayers be-
fore 1 have my supper z" asked little
Johnny.


"Sister hasn't any supper for you, or
for herself, but we must pray all .he hard
err" solemn'y responded Jennie.


So the two baby wanderers, alone in the
wide heavens, unawed by darkness. i'm
mensity and silence. or by the presence of
the great comsepud the millions Of unpity-
ing stars, lifted their little clasped hands
and sobbed out their sorrowful "Our
Father" aud then that quaint little sup
Elementary prayer:


Vow lay me down to sleep.


pray the Lord nv soul to keep:


TT should die before wake


pray the Lord my soul to take


"There, God heard that easy, for we
are cl Sc to him up here," said innocent
little Johnny.


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


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


At length, happy chance, or Provi-
dence-we will say providence-guided
the little girls wandering hand to a cord
connected with the valve; something told
her to pull it, at once the balloon began
to sink, slowly and gently, as though some
celestial pilot guided it through the wild
currents Of air. not letting it drop into
lake or river, lofty wood or impenetrable
swamp, where this strange, unchildlike
experience might have been closed by a
death of unspeakable horror; but causing
it to descend as softly as 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
little girl, looking over the edge of the car,
saw the dear earth coming nearer" rising
towards ihem," she said. But when the
car stopped, to her great disappointment .
it was not on the ground but caught fast
in the topmost branches of tree. Yet
she saw they were near house whence
help might come, so she awakened her
little brother and told him the good news
And they waited for delverance, huggng
each other for JOY and warmth, for they
we're cold.


Farmer Burton, who lived in lonely
house on the edge of his own private prai-
rie, was famous sleeper in general, but
on this particular occasion he awoke be-
fore the dawn, and, though he turned and
TUNED again, he could sleep no more. So
at last he said to his good wife, whom he
had kindly awaken to inform her of his
unaccountable insomnolence, It's no use
I'll just get up and dress myself, and have
q look at the comet"


The next that worthy woman heard
from her wakeful spouse was hasty sum-
mons to the outer door. 1t seems that nc
sooner did he step forth from his house
than his eyes fell on portentious shape
hanging in pear tree about twenty yards
distant. lie could see no likeness in it to