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

cord, that NEED Of sympathetic good cheer
which in any vocation gives unto the
striver his strong. sure tread. and that
genius of appreciation without which the
genius of creation and revelation were Of
no human avail or value is, after all, too
often ignored and overlooked our toast
then shall be"
Here the speaker was interrupted by
the rapid passing along the table from
the Nagabond Travellers hands to his own
Of a crumpled sheet of paper. He read
and re-read il with unusual evidences Of
interest Then he arose and exuberantly
remarked:
"A delicious exposition OF the senti-
ment. This little poem by our friend"
POEM poemi poemY" came vOciferous-
" from the eager listeners. when the
Clerical Traveller again read with exquis-
lite meditation these lines on
HOMECOMING.
As when some weary traveller
Hath comprised all this mighty sphere,
And in the zone his way was set
No look responsive could beget.
He sudden comes 10 eyes that know.
To lips that love. TO hearts that glow.
And, speeches., lives eternity
In that great joy-so heaven must be!
Thus when earth's toilers dare all fate
In mighty tasks compassionate,
And in the zone their way is set
Where look responsive faIters yet.
They sudden come to eyes that know,
To ears that hear, TO hearts that glow
Their heaven thrills through every sense,
Upleaping from their audiencei
Subdued but earnest applause greeted
the reading Of these lines.
ITO our beloved and loving world wide
Audience" came impressively from the
Clerical Travellers lips. and the toast was
drunk standing in an almost solemn
silence.
But not wholly in silence was this trib-
ute to friendship paid. The grewsOne
panels seemed to softly open and close in
strangely vibrant sympathy. The knots
within the fireplace suddenly leaped and
cracked ominously. our clock sounded
the hour of IL in fits and starts as
though its ancient gear was palsyng
with the passing Year. Tremulous Skin
lingS as of the complaining wind played
dirge-like threnOdies within the massive
chimney. The nights wild energies We're
making havoc among the neighboring
tiles and chimney-pots; and that tramp,
tramp, tramp, over our headS-which had
again for an instant ceased. as though
some one was listening for a coming
which never came-Seemed more than
ever relentless in its sentry-like tread.
Our Ten Travellers faces heightened.
We arose as If by common impulse from
the table, and some of the pipes We're
bers of the company disposed themselves
in chairs and settles about the room. The
uneasy panels We're avoided. The snug
gest corners beside the clock and in the
ingle-nock were left vacant. Only one of
our number was near the ever-cheerful fire
place now. This was the Aimless TRAY
eler who stood leaning against its age
colored framework, his face still retain
ing az curious look of repressed energy
mingled with a strange and far-away
thoughtfulness.
IF that ghostly tread doesn't soon
cease" observed the Student Traveller
gloomily, I'VE are certainly destined to
a dismal parting at the passing of the
Year"
Possibly it represents the dissatisfied
portion of our Audience" ventured the
Gypsy Traveller dryly.
THAT portion, of COURSE" said the Mer-
~ Traveller with a shrug, "who would
have told our tales better or differently"
1T could possibly suggest" unused the
Nagabond Traveller, that we might cell
citrate our parting a little differently
say by accomplishing some immediate
good by discovering among the millions,
not thousands, of hopeless ones in this
vast babel some one brave but
suffering heart just Is SO fire.
quently and entertainingly told in our
tales-and really setting his feet and face
toward new life and light with the birth
of another year"
Good Capital 'We'n all go in
for THAR and the Ike, promptly greeted
this unexpected proposal.
Lets set about it at once" cried many.
eager for immediate participation in the
kindly exploit.
For the hospitals" suggested the Stu
dent Traveller
THE Minories, or Whtechapel;' urged
the Casual Traveller
or among some of the starving Ro-
many of Leather Lane" added the Gypsy
Traveller wheedingly
"Or to jolly up a few starving working
men," insisted the Morose Traveller with
enthusiasm.
The Clerical Traveller had sat silent
while these various preferences were be-
ing expressed. At last he calmly re-
marked:
II have always observed that what is
commonly known as missionary work is
usually set out upon, something in the ma
ture of a Quixotic quest. The human
mind is adverse to contemplating sorrow
in ones own family, or distresses in ones
immediate neighborhood. We have now
scarcely an hour until midnight. ] think
we have all been most strikingly i'm
pressed with the feeling that there might
be omething," and here he cast a signi-
ticant glance toward the ceiling. within
the very walls of this old inn deserving
our charitable attention"
The imperative footsteps above us
seemed as an ecboing answer; and the
unhappy and almost ghostly influence in
stantly fell like a sable pass upon us all;
all but one.
The Aimless Traveller had applauded
heartily. Then he turned and faced us
in an unusual state of excitement
THE very hour place and conditionsi"
he exclaimed with great animation" Here
Travellers ALL 1 wish you to examine
this
He took from his pocket a tiny wooden
phial and tossed it eagerly among US. 1t
was caught by ready hands, and Won
deringly examined. 1t was covered with
miniature carvings of marvelously
wrought monkeys, serpents and birds.
The stopper was also OF wood, and still
more strihingly carved than the phial
itself 1t was finally returned with ex-
CARNATIONS of curiosity and surprise Its
very existence among US seemed to have
intensified our representative alertness
to the lowering influence of ghostliness
and dread.
Some years since" he began while
holding the phial fascinatingly before us,
between the thumb and middle finger,
with the air of a conjurer, Il was aim