The record-union., 1894-12-29
OLD BELLS AND NEW.

copyright, 1894. by Edgar L. Wakeman. All
rights reserved.
For at a time, at least, our Ten Travel
ers were to be separated. The pleasant
apartment in our ancient inn, in which
we had met each week of the year in ge-
NAL reunion, was again, as it had been
for centuries before, to know new and
ever shifting occupants, and be put TO
rights daily for strange faces and always
needless guests.
We had come together for our last
meeting. Those who had severally been
narrators and those who had as often
comprised their sympathetic audiences,
were to part company and be scattered
in their various callings upon their differ
ent ways. The reflection that the dear
old spot was finally to be deserted, So
bered and saddened nearly every face
OF our company as it came together
there.
Our host, with keen and kindly fore
sight, had already given the place some
thing of a festive appearance.
a generous bunch of huge knots was
cracking merrily in the cavernous fire.
place. Holiday green's and reds were
testooned from the cracked and bowed
rafters overhead. The great clock in the
corner had been reburnished and from
its lofty cornice swayed forest of dried
grasses, and the long, upright and mar
row oaken panels of the wainscoting, with
their undoubted secret inches and recep-
Iac!es, as the nrelight ttickered and danced
upon them, glistened strangely from
their recent oiling and polishing with an
Il
lty and life.
New pipes by the score and fragrant
tobacco, almost by the stone, garnished
the little old bureau of the side of the
room. The tiny port-hole-like windows
with their outlook upon the western IA
cade of mighty st. PauPs, were smart
with snowy curtainings. The creak-
ing floor had been freshly sanded, while,
for those who wished it, on our oaken
table stood a tremendous bowl whose
steaming contents waited a subtle odor
as of the faint altar of an hundred blended
f1ower-scents throughout the quaint old
room.
1t was curious thing to notice how
the gentle melancholy of these parting
hours wrought unexpected expression in
our Ten Travellers tones, manner and
countenanceS.
The Aimless Traveller seemed bursting
with grave importance and energy.
The Casual Traveller who had the least
to relate but was explicit and insistive
about the little "reminiscences he had in
store, now seemed grave and silent from
contemplation of closed opportunities for
garrGlouSnesS.
The Commercial Traveller was as SUBJ
dued as young bridal couple in charge
of both mothers-in-law.
The Student Traveller had left his
frowns and wrinkles behind him, and
was as inexplicably bland as a page
from the Correspondence of Jebb and
Knox.
His strange nearness to his tawny
friends had brought our Gypsy Traveller
under half-whispered suspicion of secret
taint of the dark and mystic blood, but
all his black art lore could not keep the
gathering mists from his eyes this part
ing night.
The Chronic Traveller, whose usual all
wise manner had now and then sent rip
pies of irritation fitting across our faces,
wore a mellowed and ruminative air
which occasioned no little attention and
remark.
The Vagabond Traveller, who ordina-
rily rejoiced in impressing US with his
callousness to all revelations of human
tenderness, seemed possessed of certain
unmlstakable quayers of voice and hu-
midity OF glance, entirely at odds from
that we were warranted in expecting
from him in any condition of environ
ment.
The Clerical Traveller, who usually
sat silent among us with his hand resting
in the palms of his hands upon his chair
back'' with lone eye often cooked and
squinted toward certain knots and their
radiating seams IN the beams overhead"
so that I'VE had come to look upon him
as the one nature among us ever alert
for flaws" seemed to be peculiarly
affected by nervous lightsomeness and
repressed gayety, while the Merry Trav-
eler sat looking with a vacant stare of
dismal righteousness into face after face
around him, and even our great dog,
Nero, who had always dozed content
edly on his rug beside the fireplace, now
wandered smiling inquiringly at each of
his friends, as if with intuitive forebod-
lDgs of disquiet and unrest.
well. this is far from being a merry
OCCASION" the Gypsy Traveller at last re-
marked with some timidity. ''For out
and out good cheer I'd much prefer to be
in their rags along the dripping edges of
Epping Forest"
And l, among the Umbrian states
men of the North" added the Clerical
Traveller, who had some strange expert
ences among the wild glens and passes
of the romantic English Lake region.
"Or, still among the half brigand car
boneros of the southern mountains of
Cuba" added the Chronic Traveller with
a reminiscential sigh.
II think l could lind keener relish for
a New Years Eve even among the lowly
peasantry OF the winsome Kerry shores.
or with the Cagots of the snoW-capned
Pyrenees," said the Vagabond Traveller
delefully.
why, the grumbling pensioners of
Chelsea" urged the Student Traveller.
''who have nothing to be thankful for
but housing and leathery Australian
mutton. are a brighter lot tonight than
we"
mo doubt. The woebegone cottagers
of Gretna Green are no more silent aud
glum than we have so far been," chirped
the Morose Traveller. Pm for going i'm
for something liveiier than a watch
night for our last meeting"
That's it!' interjected the Aimless
Traveller bustlingly. Pm also for go
ing in for something,' like our spirited
friend here.'
The suggestion seemed to brighten the
faces of the assembled company. and
there were furtive glancss toward the
steaming bowl upon The table.
We were all quickly seated around it,
with the Clerical Traveller at the post of
honor, when Speech! Speech!p was i'm
peratiyely called by chorus of friendly
voices.
II should prefer" suggested the Cleri-