The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-12
A BAG OF COLD.
j. MACLAnEN COBBAN.
copyrighted, 1898, by j. MacIaren Cobban.
CHAPTER 7.


fair. Farmers ana their men, young and
old, from twenty miles round, wandered
about the crowded market-place, chewing
straws or grain, or cracking nuts won at
the cockshies. thouehtfuHv feeling the fat
on the rumps of heifers. or on the backs OF
sheep and piss, or looking into the mouths
of horses to see how old they were.
Young Subbs, Of Scrooby, was an eXcep-
ton to the general rule of occupation. file
seemed to have nothing to do, and to have
no interest in anything that went on, from
the cock-shies at one end of the fair 10
the Jokes of the Cheap Jack at the other.
He neither chewed straws. nor cracked
nuts, nor handled cattle; he merely wan
dered about. sad, disconsolate and limp,
with his dog at his heels, a collie, as limp
and disconsolate as himself
How do, John?" his acquaintance
cheerIuIy said, as they met him.
How do?" he murmured in reply, ana
passed on
He neglected the farmers ordinary at the
Red Lion; he only ate chunk of bread
and cheese in a corner of the tap-room, and
drank there with a pint of ale, and then
resumed his wandering. The short after
noon was drawing in when, on the out
skirts of the fair, he met The parson Of the
parish he had lately moved from.
''Wen. Mr.. Stubs said the parson po-
Ii5ely, but kindly enough, "how are things
going with you?'
Very bad, sir! answered Stubs.
'Coudn't 0e worse. I'm fair broke!"
Broker" said the parson. Flows that?'
'How's that, sir?" said the young man
as if 1t might be partly the parsons fault.
Bad weather, sir; crops selling for we'll
nigh nothing; half-a-year's rent overdue;
hin O sale on farm stock fallen in; and
three days O. grace will be up day after to-
morrow. That's how it IS.
ooh come, John cheer up; you'll pull
through said the parson. You have a
good, brave little wife, and both she and
you are young yet"
"Ay." said John. "she is a good un bless
her brave heart" And his lips began to
tremblo with emotion a little more and ne
would have broken down. but he held him
self in hand
How is she. John?' asked the parson.
"She's chirpy, sir said John, but she's
sick in bedw
ooh! How's the baby?''
THE barin's dead week ago. cried
John, at length bursting into tears. And
the wife's fair down-and so am r.
BY the young farmers outburst of grief
and despair the parsons official hopeful
ness was smitten into silence for mo-
ment.
"You must look up John" said he at
length Look up to the Lord for help I
viii lift up mine eyes unto the hills you
know, from whence cometh my help You
know the verse; You must look up, john
you must look up
YES" said John: II look up; but see
noueht-noughtw
'YouIl be going home presently, I sup
pose" said the parson, moving away; it
was evidently case in which professional
words of comfort were of no avail
Yes" said John; I'm be going home
presently I only came TO see If l could do
anything; I thought you see, that maybe
somebody mieht-But there l don't know
why ! should bother you, sir, with my
troubles"
mo bother John, no bother" said the
parson. Il am sorry for you-very sorry
gndeed. But remember The Lord is pres
ont help in trouble Goodbye Trust In the
Lord"
So the parson shook his hand. and went
off. He did not mean to be either hypo-
critical or unkind; only he did not know
what in the world 70 say or DO in so des
perate case; he was very poor, and he
had wife and children of his own When
the parSon was gone, John Stubs uttered
no word, and cherished no thought in re-
sentiment of the parsons behaviour; he
merely looked around him in wild helpless
ness and hopeiessness and returned into
the town.
He had come to the fair In the hope-a
faint one, but still hope-that he might
meet with a kind friend who would lend
him 50 much or SO much, or that at least
he might prevail on the holder of the Dill
of sale TO give MIN time; for a man buried
I'm debt and difficulty dies hard; 1t takes
him long to give up hope of himself and OF
other people. But John Stubs was almost
done; he was nearly al his last gasp. He
had met no kind friend who was likely TO
be either able or willing to lend him mon
ey; and the solicitor who held his bill of
sale upon whom he had called as soon as
he entered the town. had refused any ac-
commodation. After parting with the par
son he thought he would try the solicitor
again. He resolutely nerved himself and
entered the mans office.
Now, Mr.. Stubbsr' complained the law
yer It's really too bad No, really;
'pon my wordi I know all you want to
say. I'm sorry, but things must take their
counsel l can't hear you. I'm busy"
And John Stubs went out again and
stood In the street, his heart beating
fiercey. He was commonly an inoffensive.
good-tempered man. but he was driven in
20 a corner, and even a sheep will turn
and fight in a corner. Things must take
their course Must they? he thought
with growing resentment and desperation.
Why must they?
He wandered away, and il grew dark
He was dropping with WEAKNESS (and
with hunger, but he did not know ID, and
he entered an inn and sat down for lit
tie while and had something to drink
How could he return TO his poor sick
wfe-"the bravest little woman that ever
was"-without having accomplished any
thing?
II was past o'clock when he came out
ana found himself by the old Theater
Royel, which was brilliantly lighted He
stopped to look. There were people crowd
ing in, for there was an early evening
performance TO ontice the many who might
be willing to enter. and yet who wished to
catch the train home John Stubs gazed
- a great picture placed on the front Of
the theater: For two nights only he
mad, Jerry Owens travelling company
in the world-famed Les Cloches de Corne-
VILE"
He read, and he looked long at the bril-
liantly colored picture which had been for
years throughout the world the pictorial
advertisement of that entertaining music
al comedy. He saw an old man in a
strange dress raking at a vast collection