Year: 1875

A True SOtry from "All the Year


ROund.o


One pleasant afternoon during the
comets appearance, some ten years
ago, an aeronaut, after a prosperous
voyage, descended upon a large
farm in the neighborhood of a large
market town in one of the Western
States. He was soon surrounded by
curious group of the farmers
family and laborcrs, Il asking eager
questions about the y. yage and the
management of the balloon. That
secured by an anchor and a rope in
the hands of an aeronaut, its car but
foot OF two above the ground, was
swaying lazily backward and for
ward in the evening air. 1t was a
sleepy and innocent monster in the
eyes of the farmer, who, with the
owners permission, led it up to his
house, where, as he said, he could
''hitch it" to the fence. But before
he thus secured it his three children,
aged respectively 4, 8, and 8, beg
ged him to lift them into that big
basket, that they might sit on those
pretty red cushions.


While the attention Of the aeronaut
was diverted by more curious ques-
tioners from a neighboring farm this
rash father lifted the 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 the eldest hope of
the family was lifted out. The re-
lief was too great for the monster.
The volatile creatures spirits rose at
once, he jerked the halter out of the
farmers hand, and with a bound
mounted into the air. Vain was the
aeronaut's anchor. 1t caught for a
moment in the fence, but 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 faces peering
over the edge of the car grew indis-
tinct, and those piteous cries of
"Papa !'' 'Mamma p grew fainter
up in the air.


When distance and twilight mists
had swallowed up voices, and moth
ing could be seen but that dark,
cruel shape, sailing trumphantly
away with its precious booty, like an
aerial privateer, the poor father sank
down helpless and speechless, but
the mother, frantic with grief, still
stretched her yearning arms toward
the heavens, and called wildly up
into the unanswered voidA


The aeronaut strove to console the
wretched parents with the assurance
that the balloon would descend
within thirty miles of the town, and
that all might be well with the child
ren, provided it did not come down
in deep water or in the woods. In
the event of its descending in a
favorable spot, there was but one
danger to be apprehended. He
thought that the elder child might
step out, leaving the younger in the
balloon. Then it might rise and CON
tinue its voyage.


"Ah, no p replied the mother
"Jennie would never stir from the
car without Johnny in her arms"


The balloon passed directly ovel
the market town, and the children
seeing many people in the streets
stretched out their hands and cal
led loudly for help. But the villagers
though they saw the bright little
heads, heard no call.


When the sunlight all went away
and the great comet came blazing
out, little Johnny was apprehensiv,
that the comet might come too nea
the airy craft and set it on fire Will
a whisk of its dreadful tail. Blu
! when his sister assured him that tn
fiery dragon was as much as twent
miles away, and that God would no
let him hurt them, he was tranquiliz
ed, but he soon after said 81 wis
he would come a little nearer, so
o could warm my self am so cold.
: Then Jennie took off her apro
|, and wrapped it about the child, say
ing tenderly


"This is all sister has to make yo
= warm, darling, but she'll hug yo


close in her arms, and we will sa


our prayers and you shall go
Sleep"


y "Why, how can | say my prayer


befor have my supper ?" asked Ii