ome. This
event did not occur, however, and matters grew more precarious.

To be sure, the number of subscriptions increased somewhat for a time,
and on one day in November reached the maximum of thirty-two. This,
Perner figured, would give them something like ten thousand in a year if
they could rely on that many every day. But on the next day the number
was less than twenty, and the tendency continued downward.

As for Barrifield, he made a most noble effort. He interviewed men of
means whom he had known for many years, and others whom he had known for
less than as many minutes. He came in each evening to report. He spoke
of capital as being "timid" at this season, but he never lost hope. The
others, whose faith had become a mere rag, and who were inclined to
regard further effort as a farce, still kept on, at his urging,
preparing the second and third issues, though in a hopeless and
half-hearted way. Some one has said that it is harder to stop a paper
than to start one. The proprietors of the "Whole Family" realized this
daily. The money coming in was far from sufficient for the expense, but
it served to prolong the death agony from week to week.

Perner, who had carefully figured out by this time the impossibility of
success from any standpoint, was for quitting forthwith and getting back
to work. Van Dorn was somewhat inclined in the same direction;
Livingstone also, perhaps, though he announced his readiness to stay in
the field as long as there was anything to fight for. Barrifield and
Colonel Hazard were for an effort to the death.

The Colonel was invaluable at this period. All bills that came were
referred to him. It was hard enough not to be able to meet them, but
what was still harder, payment, he averted with a skill and kindly grace
that would have done credit to Beau Brummel himself. The landlord went
away empty-handed and laughing, and the landlady, who called later with
an offspring clinging to either side of her skirts, was flattered by the
Colonel into leniency, and the offsprings kissed by him in the jolliest
manner possible. When, a few days later, she came again, he said:

"I will do anything, madam, anything in the world to oblige you. I would
even pay you if I could. I have kissed the children--I will do so
again. I will--if you will permit me, madam-- I--" But the blushing
landlady had hurried away laughing, leaving the gallant Colonel and his
assistants--now reduced in numbers to two--blus