The Wolf Point herald., 1921-05-26
Back to Boyhood
Days
BY MURIEL BLAIR

torpid" reported III IulieluS Dell
ger. and he tapped his patient
Thomas Maltby, three times and made
mental note of $50 bill for his ad
| vice
'Humphl' observed the wealthy OLD
bachelor" generally lazy, eh?"
.Worse than laziness, my friend,
responded the notable physician grave
ly. your late suppers, lack of exer-
else and indolent ways generally have
stored your system with poisons."
Then get rid of them,' suggested
Thomas.
Nothing but exercise will do that,
was the serious response.
''You speak of exercise, doctor" salu
Thomas. "What do you mean-go1,
walking, baths, dieting"
"Tney all help, but you need addl-
tionally a spur, changed conditions.
Get your mind clear as we'll as your
body. See here, did you ever hear ol
Prof. Septimus Gregg and his great
youthful reorganization system?"
81 never did" confessed Thomas.
"You will come back with your
youth renewed. Then if you take my
advice. get married, and home life VIII
do the rest"
Thus it was that two mornings later
Thomas Maltby was introduced to
Prof. Septimus Gregg at the doctors
office. He found the latter to be
great. fierce, bearish old fellow.
.Tommy Maltby, eh?' he spoke
"Well Tommy, if you're ready, toddie
along with me. I've a few purchases
to make and you can carry the bun
dies"
Thomas stared as the professor en-
tered department store and pur-
chased: (D half dozen shoofiy kites
(2) as many humming tops; 90
dozen bags of marbles; (4 box Oh
bubble pipes.
"You must have lot of children to
provide for, professor?' ventured
Thomas.
HIN! you'll soon find OUT was the
gruff rejoinder.
When they reached walled-in coun-
try place at noon that day, Thomas
Maltby wondered if he had entered an
ASYLUM. A dozen men as old or older
than himself greeted their arrival
Some of them were bare
footed. All of them wore knicker-
bockers. They capered around IKE
bows 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 profes-
sor. and Thomas was escorted to d |
room with trundle bed and emerged
from it 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 month. lie
was hailed as tom" on the play
ground.
Inside of a week Thomas Maltby had
forgotten the club, late dinners ana
lis automobile. The boys went fish
ng, swimming. They played one old
cat, mumbly-peg, hi-spy. They got
Ip big appetites.
On one side of the resort was a
ligh brick wall. Strolling near it one
iay. Thomas caught a tennis ball that
.ame over its top. There were fem
nine cries of distress. Then a lad
Ier top appeared. Peering over it
vas a fair. mischievous face, half hid
len in a quaint childish sunbonnet.
do you see the ball, Mattief" asked
voice below.
"Here, you, boy" called out the
oguish Matte to the astomshed
'homas-' -'toss that lost ball over
ere, will your"
Then Thomas found out that the
rick wall inclosed the domain of Mrs.
rof. Gregg, who superintended the
girls department of the juvenile re-
lvenating system. He got to think
lg constantly of Matte.
"They have a regular party here
nee a month";" a "boy" friend told
homas next day. There is music,
ancing, and a supper"
Ladies, too?" inquired Thomas.
opefully.
"Yes, Mrs. Prof. Gregg and her
ock. The old life togs for tonight
ou know. Very formal and digni-
ed"
Thomas never enjoyed himself as
e did at the function announced. !
here were friendly introductions and
pleasant time all around.
When Thomas returned to the city
: sought Matte out He called on her
vice, but only had he to tell her his i
We to win her complete acceptance t
his suit. /
Returning from a years tour of Eu- I
pe one day DR.. Philetus Derringer c
lanced to meet Thomas. The latter,
Milling, brisk and happy, hailed him :
it'll a healthy handshake that made
e physician vince.
at is plain TO see that you took the
venile cure, said the doctor.
Eyes, and won a splendid wife and
comfortable home through it ALL"
cleared Thomas. eve live next door
a ,rlo,.; f,,,e 60 a,,,iIv with II obsI1rap |