The record-union., 1894-12-29

49,
an unbroken company-should be de-
voted to desultory and friendly conversa-
tlon- There are things and thoughts to
be remembered aside from ourselves.
see that pencils are busy, perhaps upon
appropriate themes and sentiments which
we may tenderly dwell upon during the
passing hours of the year," he concluded,
filling our cups with a sparing hand.
These reflections being received with
manifestations of hearty approval, the
speaker resumed:
Il even observe that our erudite and
sentimental friend, he who so romantic
ally brought the old pensioner Uncle
Billy and his faithful wife, Aunt Betty
together, Is nervously fumbling the pages
OF brief manuscript. May we not hope
IL Is something for general editication?"
The Student Traveller blushed deeply;
out a near companion saved him further
confusion with a familiar ''By your
leave?" and in moment more the pages
were In the chairman's ready hands. lie
glanced rapidly over the manuscript with
kindling eyes.
Nothing could be more beautiful and
approprlate;" he observed enthusiastic-
ally. With slight preparatory "Ahemv'
ne then read with noble intonation the
following lines, which the Student Tray
eler had entitled:
OLD, TRIED AND TRUE.
A song 1 sing to all that's old -.
Old, triedand true! An, would fain
The bitter with the sweetest hold,
Could all old hands clasp mine again,
The face of Change l meet with lear;
Though good the New, the Ola is dear.
song L sing to olden cheer;
For IrostS of autumn glld the leaf:
They crown the seasons; test the year;
They mist the grape ana bind the sheaf;
Their tender touch is longest lent
To earth and air and armament.
A song 1 sing to olden ways!
Old scenes. old homes, Old ingle-nooks;
Old faiths OF blessed olden days;
Old myths, old rhymes and dear old books:
And, II with faults, old friends; and calm
Loves howlng like some stately psalm.
o Angel dread of Untried Lanis,
Move slow the pendulum OF Change!
Hold kindly with thy faithful hands
Its longest reach in youthward range;
For sweet as is the new hours cheer
Inc olden hours are dear, more dear.
Traveller when the hearty plaudits had
somewhat subsided, ''as our first toast of
the evening, and as peculiarly appropri-
ate to the occasion and the hour-'OId.
Tried and Truev May such friend
ships ever grow more real and steadtast
here and in all the lands hallowed by
friendships, loves and homes, this solemn
New Years Even
We drank the toast in silence, when.
save for a few moments congratulation
of the Student Traveller upon his lines,
we were certainly entering another
gloomy period of introspective reflection.
Each of our len Travellers seemed busted
with his own thoughts. Whatever these
may have been, each individual had al
ready grown into tense and nervous
mood.
The cracking of the blazing knots
within the cavernous fireplace brought
sudden starts and anxious movements to
some. The soughing of the night wind
IN the huge chimney seemed to distress
and distract others. The ticking of the
great clock in the corner gave out a deep
and ominous sound. Our dog, Nero,
now and then looked up from his rug
and softly whined. The lights and
shadows i'll the newly polished panels
curiously resolved themselves into gro-
tesque figures. And more than one of
us noticed, with something like anxious
interest, that in place of the one light
tread we had infrequently seemed to
hear on the floor above our ceiling, there
was now clearly audible the sound of
two walkers footballs which beat, beat,
beat, with penetrative regularity back
and forth upon the softly creaking deals.
Nv Nonder if the old place is haunted ?"
quizzically inquired the Commercial
traveller, with gesture of his head
toward the ceiling.
No doubt; no doubt" promptly re-
piled the Aimless Traveller with some
emphasis. 'All these old historic Lon
don inns are haunted"
with returned claimants for over
charges by the sad dogs, their landlords ?"
cynically interrupted the Merry Traveller,
"By the very tragedies which have Gull
minated within their cham bers." insisted
the Chronic Traveller with spirit. Every
apartment could tell its grewsome tale of
the past-of blighted hopes, OF loss and
encouragement. of strange meetings and
bitter separations, OF loves awakening 10
the hollowness OF deception and treach-
cry, of suicide and crime, and. worse
than all, OF lives fading out in loneliness.
silence and despair"
Come, come! Let's think of pleasanter
wraiths this New Years Eve" urged the
Clerical Traveller with just hint of q
shudder in his broad shoulders. This
room at ali events, indeed no room near
it, can never again be haunted save by
gentle and loving wraiths. surely more
than half hundred brave life chapters
nave fallen from our Ten Travellers lips
in this old room within the year; life
chapters of faith nobly anchored, of sacri-
tice meriting its well-won reward; of
love faithful and loyal on and OH through
dolor to its largess OF happiness and of
hope reaching It's glad fruItlon at last"
"A toast then," veutured the Morose
Traveller with monetary enthusiasm,
'.to ali the tales here told"
ta" a"Hear!-hearw came heartily from all
at the huge oak table.
10 the Tales of Ten Travellers it
shall be-" returned the Clerical Traveller.
MAY their fruitful influence be as be-
nignaut as their making and telling have
been kindly, genial anu pure"
lie said this so glowingly, so like
noble parent leading his offspring out to
the edge of the great worlds untried
lands with prayer aud blessing, that this
toast, too, was drunk amid subdued and
suppressed murmurs OF whole-hearted
accord.
But there it was again, that regular,
persistent tread as of two feeble but tire
less walkers directly over our heads!
1t checked the flow of conviyiality. 1t
revived the half-forued fancies of SUPER
natural presences. It intensified the
cracking of the embers and the meas
ured pendulum beat of our clock. It
somehow brought with it, even through
the thick walls of our inn, somber sounds
and seemings from the outer night.
Quick looks of mutual surmise passed
rapidly about the table.
Most extraordinary ~ half-whispered
the unusually quiet Commercial Trav-
eler.
Perhaps they are some of the airy
folk of our tales, come back here for inn
Fortunate reckoning" urged the Aimless