The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1915-12-07
regime you're past hope. Want to try

regime you're past hope Want to try
him?"
You advise IT."
Strongly"
"AIl right then" said Thomas.
You will come back with your
youth renewed. Then, II you take my
advice, get married and home life will
do the rest"
Thus 1t was that two mornings later
Thomas Maltby was introduced to
Prof. Septimus Gregg at the Doctors
Office. He found the latter to be a
great, fierce, bearish old fellow.
Tommy Maltby. eh?" he spoke.
We'll, Tommy. If you're ready. toddle
along with me. I've a few purchases
to make and you can carry the
bundles
Thomas stared. He got ready to re
sent such familiarity. Then he re-
membered that the doctor had told
him that the professor was an eccen.
trio, and had exacted q promise that
he would obey his directions to the
smallest detail.
Thomas stared still more strangely
as the professor entered a department
store and purchased: "a half doz
en- shoefy kites; (2) as many hum
ming tops; go a dozen 5ags of mar
bles: az a box of bubble pipes.
You must have lot of children to
provide for, professor ventured
Thomas
HIM! you'll soon find out" was the
gruff rejoinder.
When they reached walled-in coun-
try place at noon that day, Thomas
Maltby wondered II he had entered an
asylum. A dozen men as old or older
than himself greeted their arrival
boisterously Some of them were bare.
footed All of them wore knicker.
bockers. They capered around like
boys on a vacation. Eagerly they
scrambled for the Doctors purchases.
Then they hooted and frisked about
like mere kids. They played marbles,
blew bubbles, spun tops, flew kites.
Now then. make believe you're a
boy again Forget everything for one
month but just that" said the profess
sor, and Thomas was escorted to
room with a trundle bed, and emerged
from 1t wearing a Juvenile costume
like the others
Thomas grinned and then laughed
outright as he got onto the scheme
He was to play boy for a month. He
was hailed as tom" on the play
ground When he got hungry, he went
around to the kitchen and was given
great slice OF bread and butter. By
nightfall he had really got interested
In games of marbles, and ran himself
out of breath chasing runaway kite.
Its great" he chuckled, as he
rolled onto the trundle bed that night,
healthily tired out for the first time In
ten years.
Inside OF week Thomas Maltby had
forgotten the club, late dinners and
his automobile. The boys" went fish
Ing. swimming. They played one old
cat, mumblety-peg, hi-spy. They got
up big healthy appetites. Thomas
cherished two "mibs,' glass alloy
and "falsie" agate with more PRIZE
that he had a $1,000 profit on the
stock exchange,
TITS famous" he told an aurust
comrade. an astronomical student, FOR
the time being frisky. delighted lid
No more dizzy spells; ! can run ike
a whitehead and eat-why, that no
lasses cake and those fapjacks take
me back 80 years and make life wsith
living"
On one side of the resort was
high brick wall Strolllng near it one
day Thomas caught tennis ball that
came over Its top There were fem
mime cries of distress Then a lad.
der top appeared. Peering over 1t
was a fair, mischlevous face, half hid
den In a quaint childish sunbonnet
DO you see the ball. Matter" ask