Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07

up one thing till sec another that looks
bigger than all the rest. Your face Is
wrfnkled and you're freckled and you've got
false teeth and big nose and lop ears. But
I don't want you to go and skin yourself
or transplant new teeth into your jaws or
pare down your nose and ears. because 1t
very bottom Of it all is the real reason that
you're too everlasting old for me-"
Peter was hard hit this time. but only for
minute or two.
Then It's really Just because I'm too
old?'
That's all. Peter. cross my heart, hope
to die" She laughed. gay and free as she
crossed her heart" as they used to do at
the old Red Brush school when they want
ed to be believed.
We'll. of course. you're the doctor, Mis-
Dickens" said Peter, trying to smile cheer
fully. but there's no reason we can't be
good friends anyhow. I'm bound to say
that knowing you has been improving to
me in all ways. for when l first began to
keep company with you I was bald-headed
and too tall for comfort. and my name
wasn't fit for anything on earth but to sign
checks on the bank with. In spite OF all
I've gained though, I wish you could have
told me in the first place that was too old.
I needn't have wasted all this time"
When Peter went away this time the
widow Dickens sat down to peel potatoes
and cut her finger. At dinner time she
burned the meat and let the coffee boil
over. For two days she had notion. on
and on. to send for Peter. but she didn't,
and Peter didn't come around to bother her.
He Just laid in a new stock of drugs and
went to mussing around again.
After awhile his live stock kept dying
of. one at a time. at an awful rate, but in
a. few months he began to buy up all the
old tough stock he could get, and also be-
gan to sell the tenderest and juiciest young
shoats and calves and chickens that ever
came off a farm
Aided by his mighty love for Widow Dick
ems he had discovered what the wisest men
of all the ages had failed to flnd-the elixir
of youth!
When he had 1t down to where he knew
1t was perfect and could be relied upon, he
took a bottle Of it and went down to the
widows house.
1--WE come to make a last appeal, Mar
tha," he said; land want clear under
standing with you. All want Is plain
answer to a plain question. II was
younger would you marry me?'
Peter" she said, ST wouldr'
'"Then here goesv' said he, and with that
he tilted up the bottle, emptied the elixir
of youth down his throat and tumbled
down In his clothes, squallfng baby with
an amazing shock of dun-colored hair!
You see, Peter had some way or other
miscaaculated the strength OF that elixir
and took an overdose. and 1t set him back
about thirty years farther than he had
meant to go.
sorry she didn't know what to do. Now
that 1t was all over and eternally too late
she saw that in the end she really meant
to marry Peter all the while.
In the meantime something practical had
to be done, so she snatched the baby out of
the pile OF heavy clothes and wrapped it
up In blanket till she could borrow some
baby clothes. Then she gave 1t some milk
and sat down to think over what she should
do. There was all that property to look
after, and Peter had no chick nor child,
no kith or kin of any kind.
So she up and married that babyi
They tried to keep her from getting
license, but she proved he was forty-three
years old and in his right mind, so what
could they do?
The last time I saw Mrs Peter DARLINGTON
she was just giving her husband an all
fired good spanking.
Look here, Peter Spiggot Darlington"
she said as she slammed him down on tho
floor, If catch you pulling that cats tail
again I'll Just fairly skin you alivev'