Year: 1876

| Tue lIebu morning WiDQs ."s


Who can divine that simple little
child's thoughts, speculstiOns and
wild imagiDings while watching
through those hours /? Shs may have
feared coming in collision with a me.
teor-for many were 43road that
night, scouts and heralds of the great
comet-or perhaps being cast away
upon some star-island, or more dreary
still, floating on and on, night and
day, till they should both die of cold
and hunger. Poor babes in the
clouds


At length a happy chance, or Prov
idence-we shall say Providence-gui-
ded the little girls wandering hand to
cord connected with the valve,
something told her to pull il. 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 through the wild cur
rents of air, not letting it drop into
lake or river, lofty wood or impeuetra-
BILE swamp, where this strange, un-
childlike experience might have been
closed by death of unspeakable hor-
rOrs but causing il to descend, as
softly as bird alights, on q spot
where human care and pity awaited
IL.


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 dark, old earth coming
nearer, "rising toward them,n she
said. But when the car stopped, to
her great disappointment it was not
on the ground but caught fast on the
topmost branches of little tree. But
she saw they were nesr a house
whence help might soon come, so she
awakened her brother and told him
the good news, and together they
watched and waited for deliveranee,
hugging each other for Joy and
warmth, for they were very cold.


Farmer Burton, who lived in lone
ly house on the edge of his own pri-
vate prairie, was famous sleeper in
general, but on this particular morn
ing he Rwoke before the dawn, and
though he turned and turned again,
he could sleep no more. So, at last,
be said to his good wife, whom he
kindly awakened to inform Of his un-
accountable insomnolence, "It's no
use I'll just get up and have look
at the comet"


The next that worthy woman heard
from her wakeful spouse, was a fright
ened summons to the outer door. 1t
seems that no sooner did he step forth
from his house than his eyes fell on q
strange portentous shape hanging in a
large pear tree, about twenty yards
distant. He could see in it no like
ness to anything earthly, and he half
fancied it might be the comet, who
having put out his light, had come
down there to perch. In his fright
and perplexity, he did what every
wise man would do in like extremi-
ty; he called OF his valiant wife.
Reinforced by her be drew near
the tree, cautiously reconnoitering.
Surely never pear tree bore any such
fruit


Suddenly there descended from the
tree a plaintive, trembling little
voice:


"Please take us down. We are very
cold %


Then q second little voice


Sand hungry, too. Please take us
down %


"Why, who are you And where
are you ?"


The first little voice said {:


ave are Mr.. Hsrwood's little boy
and girl, aud we are lost in bal
LOOM"


The second little voice said


"It's US, and we ruined away with
q balloon. Please take US down."


Dimly comprehending the situation
the farmer getting hold Of dangling
rope, succeeded in pulling down the
balloon.


He first lifted out little Johnny,
who ran rapidly few yards toward
the house, then turned aro und, and
stood for a few moments curiously
surveying the balloon. The faithful
little sister was so chilled and ex-
hausted that she had to be carrie d
into the house, where trembling
and sobbing she told her wonderful
story.


Before sunrise mounted messen-
ger was dispatched to the HarWoOd
home with glad tidings Of great joy.
He reached it in the afternoon, and q
few hours later the children them
selves arrived in state, with banners
and music, and conveyed in cover
ed haywagon and four horses.


Joy bells were rung in the neigh
boring town, in the farmers brown
house the happiest family on the con-
tinent thanked God that night.


It would seem that this comet had
some occult maddening influence on
balloons, for during its appearance
there occurred in another western
State an involuntary ascension, SINH
lar to the one have related, but more
tragical In its termination.


An aeronaut, while, il remember
rightly, repairing the network of his
balloon, was seated on slight wooden
cross-piece, suspended under it, the
car being held in its position, few
feet from the ground, by merely q
rope in the hands OF an assistant.
From too careless grasp this rope
escaped, and in an instant the gigan-
tic bubble shot upward, carrying the
aeronaut on his frail support-a rider
more helpless than maZepps bound to
his Ukraine steed a voyage more
helpless than a shipwrecked sailor
afloat on spar in mid-ocean.


The balloon rose rapidly but un-
steadily, swaying and pitching in the
evening wind. As long as it remain.
ed in sight, the form Of the aeronaUt
could be distinguished swinging be-
meath it. And, as he was known to
be q man of uncommon nerve and
presence of mind, it was hoped thai
even from his dizzy perch he might
manage to operate on the valve, or al
least to puncture small hole in The
balloon, and thus effect a descent
But such efforts, il he made any, werC
vain, as, for many days and nights
there was anxious inquiry and pa.
tient search over q wide extent O
country, with no result. Only wifely
love hoped on, and looked and waited
At last in . wild spot the wreck OF tn,
balloon was found, and that was all
Still Wifely love hoped on, until {
month or two later, some children
nutting in q wood, many miles awaI
from where the balloon was found
discovered, half buried in the ground
a strange dark mass, that looked liki
a heap of old clothes, but there was ;
something shapeless and fearful, hold


ing it together.


1t was thought that the aeronau
parted company with the balloon b,
loosing his hold on the cords abovl


him, in his desperate effort to opel


the valve; but he may, after whirlini
in swift worthless, or plunging an,


mounting through cloudy abysses @
air, have become unnerved by the sw
ful silence of the upper night, by tn
comets fearful cOmpanionship, By
overwhelming immensity and infinl
ity, and wearily let go his hold to dro


earthward.


Have We ever tbouobt bsfora of asl