Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-10-22
ALL. ALL WE'RE GONE.
Returned wanderer Looked For vi"
Familiar Faces In Vain.

RAturncd Wanderer boOACu T"- w.
Familiar Faces In Vain.
One day some years ago. according
to a story told on a Squirrel lsiand
yeranda the other day, an old genue-
man stepped into the Elm House IN
Auburn and opened conversation
with Albert Young, the proprietor.
He said his name was Merrill; that |
he was born in the town OF turner, |
that his home was in California, ana
that he was now carrying out a long
cherished plan Of revisiting the scenes
Of his youth
az want" he said, ito hire a nice
horse and carriage to drive from mere
to Turner, and to keep as long as
want. l want to deposit here sum
OF money sufficient to guarantee the
return Of the outfit l may be gone
a week, might stay two weeks anu
I might stay two months and DON
want any one chasing me WIN
sheriffs posse and a warrant Tor
stolen team. intend to be just as
leisurely about it as like. want u
see the old red schoolhouse where
wont 70 school. and want to see all
the old boys and girls who are now
living. If can find nice farm up III
that vicinity that somehow looks IKE
the old place l should like TO Duy It,
I've been planning for this trip Ten
years. I'm going to have just as goou
time as l know how, and I'm not
coming back till get ready.
Mr. Young hitched him up the team
and the old gentleman started OIL "s
gayly as a boy Of twenty
The next day, as Mr.. Young came out
from breakfast, he noticed an old gen
tleman standing by the open nre look
ing rehectively into the Goals. some
thing about him suggested the old
gentleman of the previous day. Ou'
Mr.. Young could hardly believe II pos
sihle that he had returned so soon.
And vet it proved TO be the same ana
as Mt Young approached, the old man
turned around and said slowly, Weh'
made q short trip Of 1t this ume'
didn't ~ A..
81 should say you did," said Mr.
Young. What's the matter? Dld you
break down"
The old man turned his eyes toward
Mr. Young and, looking at him Tor a
moment, said. NO; only what > 'ne
use? We old fellows have our dreams
hut they're only dreams after all. we
can't call back the dead, can WEI Anu
then he told Mr.. Young this STORY
which seemed pathetic under the CHI
cumstances. Said he:
.For ten years I've been planning
this trip. I've said to myself, 'Solh'
time before die I'll have money
enough to go back to the old home an'
do as l please appreciated that III
old BOYS and girls weren't boys an'
girls apy more, but l sort OF expected
to find them, and l knew II ulu
could enjoy sitting down ana Taking
over old days. l could see the Oh
schoolhouse. the old swimming hole
the old orchard, the old hill where W
used TO slide. Lots Of these Things na
been as real to me as the things OF m
daily life out there in California. 30
hired the team, as you know, ana
MANNED that when l saw one OF III
old bows or girls I'd put up the horS
and stay there a day or two ana nlaA
II profitable for 'em, and wed all nav
good time renewing our youth
said TO myself that if could get int
the old kitchen where lived as 90
ia like TO stay there a month and q
nothing but walk over the Octooe
hills.
"Well. | went to Turner, and mere
am, I rode all day, and l didn't see
single soul that knew or VINO Kne
me or had ever heard OF me. Ever
hour that rode the lonesomer L grew
The old house where l was born Nd
gone to the bad. There's NOBODY hVin
there. It was the saddest iooKI
wreck 1 ever saw. Nobody asked Il
70 STAY to dinner Nobody seemed
care n snap whether I'd come back
town or not. l rode until sunset, al
OF sunset I climbed q high hill WI
nv tired horse and hitched him TO u
fence and went over on a mound al
sat down And as the sun set' SO ;
my foolish old dreams. And u
thought came to me that no man
searching shall find his lost yout
Said l to myself, They who are deI
revisit this world no more, ana u
only chance 1 have of seeing the o
time boys and girls is in some oth
world than this Yes, I'm going Da'
to California tomorrow. I've lost
of illusions, but perhaps it's just
well for an old fellow like me to COZ
back to earth as it is and live IN
rather than live so much as have
memories"
And at noon the old gentleman pa
his bill had his traps lugged 10 I
Of for tho PAClnC