Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-04-10
ssTHEY WHO never
COME BACK"
BY Arch M'Mack:n

ed-tired-dead tired! James,
old chap, put me to bed"
Maurice Smyth sank exhausted in
to the great arm chair and smiled
YEARLY at his valet, sleepy-eyed,
standing in the doorway. James
crossed the floor and bent at
his masters feet. Deity he unbuck-
led the dainty pumps and laid them
aside. The man in the chair stared
vacantly at the glowing Goals in the
CRATE and sighed.
MY Cod" he moaned. "Ten years."
He scrutinized the man at his feet.
James
Yes, sir" the valet answered
"Have you ever been so unhappy
that you could have killed yourself?'
Indeed l have, sir" his man an
swered. But he paused in his work
and fumbled at the snap above his
masters silken hose.
James," Smyth queried, have you
ever been in lover"
Yes. sir" James answered and he
rose to his feet, perfect sympathy
and understanding creeping over his
face
Sir" he said, 'would it interest
you to know that Miss Morrisey called
this afternoon? She wanted me to
make sure to tell you of her CALL
rs that ALP" Smyth yawned. James
face fell in disappointment.
James," Smyth went on, cts not
that-it's just she and the rest oil
them whom l want to get away from
I'm sick-Pm tired"
Perhaps, sir" the valet suggested
half turning to do the errand, per
haps glass of port will do you
good?"
'No-no!" Smyth painfully sighed
mot that. Wine! I've been wine drunk
for ten years. I'm homesick-I want
to go home. l want to go-home!'
The voice was so soft, pathetic, sc
like a tired, disappointed childs voice
that the valet stopped and laid
| friendly hand on his masters shout
der.
Yes, SIR" he said, 81 know how
that is, sir
You wouldn't think that man
could change as l have changed in
these ten years gone 1t came to me
suddenly at Brice's hall tonight.
was with those Dillon girls. There
was a one-act skit with a rural set
r,,i11yy,ooid for
er boy-and darn it all, he looked just
like me fifteen years ago. Then in
comes an actress who was-was hav'
ing hard time getting back to the
| Great White Way-an awfully clever
plot, a wonderful setting-and that
| boy; he looked as I used to look"
1T would be hard to imagine such
of you, SIR" the valet replied.
Smyth slipped into his lounging
robe and stretched his feet to the
glowing Goals.
Il wish 1 could go back" he said
back to the farm again. And greet
old friends, and drive COWS, and hunt
birds nests and make love to country
girls" He stopped abruptly and sank
back in the chair with his eyes closed
"Her name was fBess,' James," he
said dreamily. "Her hair was fair
| and braided, her eyes were blue and
her cheeks were rosy-and she loved
| me-so she said. Oh, no, she's not
| waiting for me to come back-that's
just in books. She married the lead
ing dry-goods merchant in that little
town of ours. They have several chill
dren."
| The two lapsed into solitude until
| the tick-tocking Of the hall clock
| sounded like steel on an anvil.
Does one ever go back, James?
Smyth queried.
mo, sir" the valet answered.
mo doubt you are right" the mas
ter said. He began beating mad
| tarantatatum with his finger nails up
on the chair arm. 1--WE never go back
we never go back. How utterly
damned are we. How utterly, utterly
utterly, utterly, utterly, damned are
| wei"
He arose and reeled dizzily to his
bed.
by the way, James," he said, "you
say that Margaret called this after
noon?"
Eyes, sir" The valet sighed in re
lief
BLESS her heart! And she left or
ders-"
For you to meet her at the Annex
| sir, at luncheon to-day"
"And that will be at two. James
call me at noon-and don't let me
| oversleep. Do you hear, sir?''