THE BALLOON WHO SAID NOTHING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19108, 28 June 1930, Page 18 (Supplement)

THE BALLOON WHO SAID NOTHING.

All tne coloured toy balloons were tremendously excited. One by one they were taken out of their box, and gradually they swelled with pride until each was a shiningly glorious pink, green or blue balloon, This was a children’s party, and they knew they had to look their best as they hung from a piece of string across the room where a party was taking place. There was one balloon, however, who refused to be blown up more than an inch, and there he hung, looking a sorry sight. “He’s our eldest balloon,” said one, whose shining body had orange spots on it. “ He’s not a good example to the young ones,” said another, looking proudly at a row of bouncing baby balloons. The eldest balloon smiled, but said nothing. At that moment the party was at its height, and suddenly there was a loud POP!—and the balloo. with the spots was no more! All the other balloons stopped bouncing, and looked up in hushed silence. This was a signal! In five minutes every balloon in the room had beer burst by excited boys and girls. Allsave one—who was so small that he had been overlooked. As he gazed or the dusty and trampled remains of hi; proud friends, he smiled again. " I may be the eldest,” he said, “ bul I have the most sense! ”