The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-03-24
The Youthfulness
Of Maud

.t#.." ~ AvANASN Hll
mot if l know it, said Maud with
an ~unaccustomed flavor of slang in her
voice and words. Never again will I
venture back to the home of my early
youth"
"Why not?"
Didn't you have a good timer"
what was the matter with Glen
ville?"
The bachelor girls, who had gath
cred in Maud's pleasant rooms to well
come her on the evening of her return
from a holiday visit to the country
asked these and other questions in.
chorus.
Tell me, do I look very aged?"
Maud inquired of them in turn.
"Aged!" repeated the chorus with.
the proper air of amazement. +;
"Our blooming Maud look aged!
What a p~reposterous ideal" said one.
Maud smiled appreciatively at the
author of this last %reassuring remark,
THANK you, DEAR" she said. "Now I,
feel better. I was afraid that what Il
have recently gone through might
have left traces of decrepitude. You
see, my mind is now on the subject
of age. Gray hair, round shoulders
and dotage seem dangerously immi-
nent. I only hope I'll be a real cheer
full, n~ice-looking old woman"
What nonsense are you talking?"i
I'm not talking nonsense. On the
contrary, I'm quite serious" she pro-
tested.
You'd be serious" explained Maud,
IF you had suffered an experience like
the I've had. You see, girls, I've
been so awfully busy and so happy in
my work that I never noted the pass
ing years or reflected upon the fact
that I am nc longer 16. Even my birth
days haven't meant anything less de-
lightful than candy, flowers and matt
e tickets. I seem to have been sing
ularly neglected about watching the
fight of time. But all is different now
I've been to Chenille.
1.-THE first blow l received was at
the railway station when l was look!
ing around for the man Aunt Sarah
had promised to send to drive me over.
to Chenille proper, which is a few
miles from the railroad.
"'You amt Maud Stearns, are your
doubtfully asked the only man in
sight. !;
eyes, I am,' I answered, joyously.
"FWell, 1 seen you when you got
off the train, but I didn't speak to-
you, because I want expectin' to see
such a y%oung-lookin' person. Amt you
ledge Abel stearns' grip
"'Yes,' 1 said.
Il thought SO. 1 was figurin' up
your age as I was drivin' over here
and as near as I could reckon it you
was born in '76, the summer of the
great centennial show in Philadelphy.
l remember your pa went to it, but
your ma couldn't go, cause you were
too young to leave at home
"'You have a wonderful memory
I remarked weakly, and earnestly hop
ing that the other inhabitants Of Glen
vile were not so gifted in that direc-
ton.
"'Mercy on us, Maud!' said my
dear old Aunt Sarah as she embraced
me. You're a perfect wonder. I
saw any one change as little as
you do. 1 declare, you don't look a
day older than you did when 1 was
in Chicago six years ago, and then
you looked mighty young for a woman
of %. I don't see how you keep so
fresh She held me off at arms
length and gazed at me admiringly
and I could only smile and thank her
thank her for making me feel older
than I ever had felt before in all my
long life"
"You DOOR dear!" said her sympa-
thizing friends.
ooh, that was only a beginning.
Every old settler remarked at my
marvellous y~outhfulness until 1 began
to feel like a centenarian. One of
the %neighbors asked me conhdenttally
how I kept the wrinkles out of my
face Wrinkles, indeed! And the
dear old doctor who took care
of mother when she was a little girl
said it did beat all how we'll preserved
/ was.
"But the last straw was the night
that a cousin of my aunt's came in to
ask me to look on at a young peoples
dance. Not that you don't look as If
you could still dance YOURSELF she
said when my face, l suppose, be-
trayed a little surprise at the invita-
ton. You certainly are mighty girl
ish and spry for you age. Dear me,
how times have changed! You know
your mothers mother was a grand
mother at 81, and you amt even mar
ried at 33-or are you "a? But with
your young looks you needn't give up
hope yet"
II don't see how you stood it," said
one of the girls. alphabetically.
II didn't. l fled the place, inwardly
vowing never to go back until my
hair is snow white. Now, girls, if you
love me, don't ever tell me how young
- so11-rt Ia Xx1,v1 =.