The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-30

uniou. was again. as 10 had been for CEN
turtles before. 10 know new and ever shift
ing occupants. and Be put 10 rights daily
for strange faces and always needless
guests.
We had come together for our last meet
ing. Those who had severally been mar
rators. and those who had as often com
prised their sympathetic audiences, were
10 part company and be scattered In their
various caIIings upon their differing ways.
The reflection that the dear old spot was
finally TO be deserted. sobered and sad
dened 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 festive appearance.
A generous bunch of hugs knots was
cracking merrily in the cavernous fire.
place. Holiday greens and reds were fes-
TONED from the cracked and bowed raf-
tiers overhead. The great clock in the cor
ner had been reburnished and from its
lofty cornice swayed forest Of dried
grasses; and the Ions. upright and narrow
their undoubted secret inches and recep-
tacles as the freight fickered and danced
upon them. glistened strangely from their
recent oiling and polishing with an al
most weird suggestiveness Of personality
and life.
New pipes by the score and fragrant to-
bacco. almost by the stone garnished the
little old bureau at the side of the room.
The tinv port-hole like windows with
their outlook upon The western facade OF
mighty St PauTs, We're smart with snowy
curtainings. The creaking floor had been
freshly sanded; while. for those VINO
wished it. on our oaken table stood a ire
mendous bowl whose steaming contents
waited a subtle odor as of the faint altar
Of an hundred blended hower-scents
throughout the quaint old room
II was curious thing 10 notice how the
gentle melancholy of these parting hours
wrought unexpected expression in our Ten
Travellers tones, manner and counte-
nances.
The Aimless Traveller seemed bursting
with grave Importance and energy.
The Casual Traveller who had the least
10 relate but was explicit and insistve
about the little Renaissance he had in
store. now seemed grave and silent from
contemplation of closed opportunities
for garrulousness.
The Commercial Traveller was as sub
dued as a 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 page from the Cor
respondence of Jebb and Knox.
His strange nearness to his tawny
friends had brought our Gypsy TraVeler
under half whispered suspicion of secret
.sF III H. aF M
his bIack-art lore could not keep the gath
ering mists from his eyes this parting
night.
The Chronic Traveller. whose usual
all-wise manner had now and
then sent ripples of irritation
hitting across our faces. wore
mellowed and ruminative air which oc-
casioned no little attention and remark.
The Vagabond Traveller. who ordinarily
rejoiced in impressing us with his cal
lousness to all revelations Of human ten
derness, seemed possessed of certain un-
mistakable quavers of voice and humidity
OF glance. entirely at odds from what we
were warranted in expecting from him
In any condition of environment.
The Clerical Traveller slipped into the
room with the hesitant, puzzled, yet duti-
full air of an humble, back-pew layman.
The Morose Traveller who usually sat
silent among us with his head resting in
the palms of his hands upon his chair
back with lone eye often cooked and
and squlnted toward certain knots and
their radiating seams in the beams over
head" so that I'VE had come to look upon
him as the one nature among us ever alert
for flaws" seemed to be peculiarly affect
ed by a nervous lightsomeness and re-
pressed gaiety; while the Merry Traveller
sat licking with a vacant stare of dismal
Iugubriousness into face after face around
him; and even our great dog, Nero, who
had always doZed contentedly on his rug
beside the fireplace, now wandered sniff
ing inquiringly at each of his friends, as
II with intuitive forebodings of disquiet
and unrest.
We'll 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
among my dark-eyed friends budding in
their rags along the dripping edges of
Epping Forest"
And I, among the Umbrian statesmen
of the north" added the Clerical Traveller.
who had had some strange experiences
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.
lnlnk 1 cOOlQ ma keener relish for q
New Years eve, even among the lowly
peasantry of the winsome Kerry shores,
or with the Cagots of the snow-capped
Pyrenees," said the Vagabond Traveller,
dolefully.
why, the grumbling pensioners of
Chelsea urged the Student Traveller
who have nothing to be thankful for but
housing and leathery Australian mutton
are brighter lot tonight than we are. -
mo doubt. The woe-Segone cottagers
of Cretna Green are no more silent and
glum than we have so far been" chirped
the Morose Traveller. I'm for going in
for something livelier than watch
night, for our last meeting"
That's it"' interjected the Ain7less
Traveller bustingly. I'm also for 'golna
in for Something like our spirited friend
here
The suggestion seemed to brighten the
faces of the assembled company. and
there We're furtive glances toward the
steaming bowl upon the table.
We We're all quickly seated around it
with the Clerical Traveller at the post of
honor; when 'Speechi Speechw' was inn.
peratively called by a chorus of friendly
voices.
1 should prefer" suggested the Clerical
1raVeler, impressively, that the few
nous we now have together-perhaps our
last hours in this charming retreat as an
unbrokea company-should be devoted tc
fri.