The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-21
HE COULD NOT GO.
The Sad Fate of Me1pomenus Jones, q
Citrate Devoid of Courage.

The Sad Fate of BIeIpomenus Jones, a
Citrate Devoid of Courage.
Some people-not you or 1, because va
arc SO awfully self possessed, but some
pcople-fnd great difficulty in saying good
by when making a call or spending the
eTening. As the moment draws neal
when the visitor feels that he is fairly en-
titled to go away he rises and says abrupt
ly, well, think p Then the people
say; "Oh, must you go now? Surely it's
early yeti" and pitiful struggle ensues.
1 think the saddest case of this kind of
thing that l ever knew was that of my
poor friend Melpomenus JONES' curate-
such dear young man, and only 80 He
simply couldn't get away from people,
He was too modest to tell a lie and too
religious to wish to appear rude. Now it
happened that he went to call on soma
friends of his on the very first afternoon
of his summer vacation. The next sig
weeks were entirely his own-absolutely
nothing to do. He chatted awhile, drank
two cups of tea, then braced himself for
the effort and said suddenly:
''Well, I think r.
But the lady of the house said: ooh,
no, Mr.. Jonesl Can't you really stay
little lcAger?''
Jones was always truthful. "Oh, yes"
he said, "of course I-er-can stay
''Then please don't goi'
He staid. He drank II cups of tea.
Night was falling. He rose again.
''Well, now he said shyly, 81 think
really
"You must go?'' said the lady politely.
81 thought perhaps you could have staid
to dinner
"Oh, well, so could, you know" Jones
said, eff
"Then, please, stay. I'm sure my hus-
band will be delighted
''All right he said feebly, "I'lI stay"
And he sank back into his chair, just full
of tea and miserable.
Papa came home. They had dinner. All
through the meal Jones sat planning to
leave at 800 All the family wondered
whether Mr.. Jones was stupid and sulky
or only stupid.
After dinner mamma undertook to
"draw him OUT and showed him photo
graphs. She showed him all the family
museum, several gross Of them-photos of
papa's uncle and his wife, and mammals
brother and his little boy, an awfully in
teresting photo of papa's uncle's friend in
his Bengal uniform, an awfully we'll tax
en- photo of papa's grandfather partners
dog, and an awfully wicked one of papa
as the devil for a fancy dress ball.
At $50 Jones had examined II photo
graphs. There were about SO more that
he hadn't. Jones rose.
81 must say good night now he plead
cd ~
"Say good nightr' they said 'Why, it's
only half-past 81. Have you anything to
do?''
Nothing he admitted, and muttered
something about staying six weeks and
then laughed lniserably.
just then it turned out that the favorite
child of the family-such a dear little
romp-had hidden Mr.. jones' hat. So
papa said that he must stay, and invited
him to q pipe and a chat. Papa had the
pipe and gave Jones the chat, and still he
staid. Every moment he meant to take
the plunge, but couldn't. Then papa be-
gan to get very tired of Jones, and idgeted
and finally said, with jocular irony, that
Jones had better stay all night; they could
give him a shake down. Jones mistook
his meaning and thanked him, with tears
in his eyes, and papa put Jones to bed in
the spare room and cursed him heartily.
After breakfast next day papa went off
to his work in the city and left Jones
playing with tho baby, broken hearted.
His nerve was utterly gone. He was
meaning to leave all day, but the thing
had got ON his mind, and he simply
couldn't. When papa came home in the
evening, he was surprised and chagrined
to find Jones still there. He thought to
jockey him out with jest and said he
thought he'd have to charge him for his
DOetfNt-AS, hS! A0 lAAAeAPPJ JOuAS 1hshlA
stared wildly for moment then wrung
papas hand, paid him a months board in
advance and broke down and sobbed like
q child.
In the days that followed he was moody
and unapproGchable. He lived, of course,
entirely in the drawing room, and the lack
of air and exercise began to tell sadly on
his health. He passed his time in drink
ing tea and looking at the photographs.
He would stand for hours together gazing
at the photograph of papa's uncle's friend
in his Bengal uniforn-talking to it,
sometimes swearing bitterly at it. His
mind was visibly failing.
At length the crash came. They carried
him up stairs in a raging deliriurn of fever
The illness that followed was terrible He
recognized no one not even papa's uncle's
friend in his Bengal uniform. At times
he would start up from his bed and shrek,
"Well I think p and then fall back upon
the pillow with q horrible laugh. Then,
again, he would leap up and cry: SAnoth-
cup of tea and more photographs! More
Photographic Har, harp
At length, after month of agony, on
the last day of his vacation, he passed
away. They say that when the last mo-
ment came be sat up in bed, with a beau
tiful smile of confidence playing upon his
face, and said: well the angels are call
ing me. I'm afraid really must go now.
Good afternoonr'
And the rushing of his spirit from its
prison house was as rapid as a hunted cat
passing over picket fence.-Truth.
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