Year: 1877

morbid taste, and fascinating sweets al- lure the appetites and deplete the poe kets of the younglings.

 Having arrived at years of discretion, passed by on the other side. and was walking leisurely homeward, when my attention was arrested by mysterious inclosure, in the centre of which swayed to and fro magnificent balloon, which made regular half-hour trips to a point just quarter of mile above the solid earth. Then I hesitated. To go up in aballooon was the one great desire of my boyhood. had done almost every thing else, and this last experience would be delightful. When quite young Twas kicked over fence by wild colt, who returned my caresses with very impressive pair of heels. I have several times been almost blown to pieces with gunpowder, that never failing fascina- tion to every one in his teens. have aimed gun at bird, and missing him, sent the ball within three inches of a mans bead. I have been on the water in small sailing boat, and then tipped OVOts HI d WOAO3 hdFC OOuO GllOu- sand delightful things, all of which gave my father and mother sleepless nights, and made them feel that was sure to die an untimely death. But here was chance to add a new experi- ence to my life; and as I saw the im- mense castle in the air swinging to and fro, all my boyishness came back, and in less time than it takes to tell it, was inside of the inclosure, and in a few minutes more in the car of the balloon, with Professor Allen, the accomplished aeronaut. F-Ssss -- a3t

 The signal was given, and we began to rise. When we were about hun dred feet up, would again have given all 1 possessed to be safely on earth again. Instinctively I clutched the ropes but it did no good, for ropes and everything else were all going up together. Pretty soon I grew more courageous, and then thoroughly en- joyed myself. It was very cloudy, but I got a good view of the whole town. The tops of the houses were far below me, and the church steeples seemed slender as reeds. Just then the Profess sor engaged my attention with some of his exploits, and when next looked could see nothing. We were in the middle of cloud, and the men. the house, the town were wholly hidden from view.

 ''How far up are we, Professor?"

 NOnly about quarter of mile," he answered. -4..-.

 A quarter of mile straight up! What if the balloon should burst through its lacings! In what shape should I ap- pear after dropping twelve hundred feet or more? This pleasant thought would intrude itself. Only twelve hundred vertical feet. Well, that is not very much, and yet, if should fall, think the coroner's jury would have no diff culty in discovering the cause of my death.

 It was very queer experience. looked up; nothing to be seen. I looked around nothing to be seen. I seemed te myself to be as near nowhere as I ever hope to get. The mist drifted by me in friendly sort of way, as if to re- assure me, and as though it wanted to say, "My dear fellow, the Almighty is up here just as he is down there. We clouds roll and surge and dash our fragile spray in obedience to the same will that governs the more solid ocean. The hand that holds you in it's hollow when you walk the earth, is underneath you when you have the clouds for your companions"

 So, by degrees, grew accustomed to my new position, and sat quietly enjoy ing not the scenery, but the situation, while the Professor told me of his ex- ploits in France in the service of the army, during the recent siege of Paris. Away up beyond the reach of hostile bullets, glass and notebook in hand, he used to watch the movements of the Germans. How provoking it must have been to see little black speck among the clouds, and know that at every pa- rade pair of sharp eyes were looking through a powerful telescope, while a ''chiel taken notes" would report to the enemy what not even the most daring spy or sharpshooter could discover.

 We'll, after while, desiring to see the faces of mortals once more, I indi- cated my desire to return to the planet. Slowly we descended !; and just, as on board a vessel you find your way through the fog until the headland, which at the first seemed only ghost, assumes tangible and familiar shape, SO, as l watched, the steeples and tops of houses came into view far below me, and in five minutes more I jumped out of the basket, and was conscious of a certain sense of relief when felt good Mother Earth under my feet. .A The Professor gave me paper, certi- flying to the fact of my exploit, and as- surfing my friends that for the last thirty minutes had been far above the planet ; and I rushed home.

 I had no sooner told my story at the table than my plucky little wife said, "Well, if you can go up in balloon, so can I.''

 "You? Up in balloon9" My eyes were wide open.

 "Yes, I, and up in balloon! Why not? After dinner shall take trip to the moon, or as near to that very re- spectable orb as I can get"

 suppose she would regard me as a fit subject for the lunatic asylum when told her what had done; but found she only envied me my exalted position, and determined to go as much higher as circumstances would permit. Such is life, and such is woman.

 tried to reason with her, but who ever got the better of his wife in an ar-