Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-27
YOUNGER

| favorably with some of their younger
male friends, took strong hold of hir1
Thus it was that Mr. Hallwool. after
the company had separated, persuaded
his wife to retire to rest, while he re-
mained in the drawing-room. in order,
az he said, to write an important letter
which he had forgotten
He sat down in the cosy arm chair
before the fire and brooded over his
imaginary trouble, very injudiciously
Solacing himself with occasional ''nips''
from decanter placed temptingly near
him. The stimulating beverage, how
ever, did not seem to have very sooth-
ing effect upon him for he turned and
twisted in the roomy chair uneasily.
Much to his surprise, Mr.. Hallwool
found himself walking moodily in Cen
trail Park. 1t was sudden change, but
he did not try to return to his cosy
home. He simply walked on and on,
| aimlessly, but with a sort of dim idea
| that he might succeed in banishing the
| thoughts that troubled him if he could
| only tire himself out.
So he walked on in the chilly night
air and spoke aloud as he walked for
he was alone, with but the rustling
| evergreens and bare trunks of trees
to hear his rawlings.
II have but one desire in the world,
| and it is for my darling's sake! I wish
from the very bottom of my heart that
may grow younger every day!"
Then he was startled by a deep and
mOcking voice, which seemed to come
from a group of shrubs, saying:
'''Tis WE'LL Your wish shall be graft
fiedr'
Then all was still
Mr. HallwOoI ought to have been hap
py after so mysterious an assurance
that his aspirations after youth would
be realized; but he wasn't Time sped
on with amazing rapidity, and he found
himself getting younger with CORES
ponding celebrity AS youth returned
10 him, age was creeping upon his be-
loved wife, and it was not long ere
they were apparently on a level as far
as years are concerned.
Then his experience became positive
ly frightful When his son Harold
married at the age of thirty three he
himself seemed to be only seventeen!
A terrible feature that accompanied
this return of youth was that although
his mind retained all that knowledge
and Shrewdness acquired by a long
active business life. he could not resist
the boyish impulses which continually
impelled him to do things which were
utterly repugnant to him. This was
painfully apparent at the wedding
feast, at which, i'll spite of his wife's
watchfulness, he contrived to cram his
pockets with nuts and fruits of all
sorts.
Poor Mrs. Hallwool had at first been
delighted at her husbands returning
youthfulness, but she gradually be-
came a prey to fearful forebodings.
These were fully justified as time sped
on, and as they sat together in their
beautiful home, she about sixty years
old and her spouse boy of fifteen, he
often noticed that her eyes were filed
with tears. They would frequently talk
about the strange, nay, unnatural fate
which had befallen upon him, but Mr..
Hallwool never revealed to his wife
the mysterious event tnaC occurred IN
Central Park. When she became tear
full, he turned restless, and would final
ly leave the room. Shortly afterwards
she would find him in the study raven
ously eating fruit or sweetmeats, and
at the same time reading with breath
less interest THE Pirates of the Frozen
Deep or some other blood-curdling ro-
nance for boys. He felt heartily