Show t + tr t + tr t + t + t j + t + t + t + t + tr fx f Renewing 1 Her Youth o r By Mnry Gilbert + f + + + + 3J + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + HE was In a rebellious f mood It seemed to lior > S that she had nlways boon I1 consldcreil old She wished Unit people could iciiilzc liow girlish she was at heart despite her fifty yearn and the gray linlrs that clustered round her fore a Lead Married At eventcen Sirs Hoyt l1 land been a mother before she was twenty and a grandmother before suet sue-t was forty Now she was visiting her con and was secretly annoyed at the respectful consideration showed her I I t > y all the family Her daughterinlaw treated her as If she wore seventy the children were never allowed to play with her long p lest she weary of their lively antics This morning young Mrs Iloyt had been summoned to u neighbors bedside bed-side and had left Eleanor with strict injunctions to be very good to grand ioU and very quiet It was compara x tlvely easy to obey tho first order but Dhow was such a brlghmt eyed tomboys is fourteenyearold Eleanor to carry net the second Qnlct Quiet when the Ice on the pond was like glass and this was probably < prob-ably tho last skating ot tho season I Of course Jt was lovely to have grandma j grand-ma visit them but how pleasant it would have teen had she waited until spring Eleanor flushed at the inhospllallty of this thought and was glad to be L uisiracicu uy a KUOCIC at me door ID 1j came Clara Hoe with glowing cheeks aP4 mid sparkling eyes m 0 Eleanor put on your things right t nway she cried The skating Is the best we have had every one else b I t there s I know said Eleanor her lip 1 trembling a little but but mother has gone away and have to stay with grandma Oh Claras bright face clouded at the thoughts of her friends disappointment disappoint-ment then cleaved as she said Hut why not take your grandmother too Take grandma1 echoed Eleanor as If Clara had proposed to take the house and barn Certainly said Clara In her positive 1 posi-tive manner I believe shed like it She looks as If she could havo us much fun as any of us If she only had a chance Eleanor made no reply end after a t moments hesitation Clara said Any way Im going to ask her m She marched straight into the sit tingroom where grandma sat with her knitting looking out at the bright sunshine sun-shine Mrs Iloyt looked up with n welcoming smile she and Clara had been friends since their IIrst meeting Mrs Iloyt said Clara putting a persuasive arm about grandmas neck dont you want to go skating with IIS1 Down went the knitting up went Mrs Hoyts eyebrows Skating A grandmother skate Tho ki Is like glass Clara contln i tied eagerly 1111 It may not last another an-other day Ve have an extra pair of skates aid Ill rin home for them while you and Klcanor get ready Youll come wont you The fresh young voice had carried grandma back to the happy days when she had flitted over the lee avowedly the best skater In tho little town Bat that was long ago she would not know how to stand on the I Ice now much less skim over It She stilled tho longing to try her skill once more and shook her head You are very kind to invite me slip said and I appreciate I very much indued but 1 fear that my skating day are over Clara was not a girl to be easily thwarted besides she had seen the first look of yielding in grandmas ISOC Of course you could not skate III that long skirt she said thoughtfully I have one that Just the right length for her Eleanor Interrupted eagerly You gee in quite as tall as grandma I My scarlet sweater would be just the thing for he added Clara and Ill bring t with the skates Grandma 1ushcil again She had worn a ml jacket the night that Joliti low long ago it seemed + 11 Then Ill go for the skrteji and ande sweater said Learn decisively while 3 on get your own tJlngs ready She was out of the door before Mr Iloyt crtild utter a word of protest Then the humor I of th situation truth grandma and throwing back her head she laughed till she cried A grandmother go skating Hut when Kleanor came dancing in with a navy blue lilt 111 confident thnt th matter was quite nettled MfM I Iloyt hesitated n moment HIll gianced at her trim almrst girlish figure nt her pretty little foot and ankle tumid yielded It was ridiculous thing to du of course but she need not try to skate Iu could suiy rn the hank and watrh tle chlldien There wan no reason why she should spoil Eleanors pleasure pleas-ure by staying at home she well knew that the child was too obedient numb Inn hoopllahle to go away and leave her home A few minutes later a radiant little figure stood In the sittingroom laughing at the girls surprise at her transformation The dark blue skirt hung In graceful folds almost to her ankles the ecarlet sweater with a tamoshanter to match set off her black eyes and soft gray hair while the excitement of the moment had brought an almost girlish flush to her checks Shell be the prettiest girl here cried Clara enthusiastically Well pull her to the pond on your sled so that she wont be tired before tile I skating begins Upon the sled they bundled her and away they raced to the pond There was a ripple of excitement at the appearance I I of the grayhaired girl but It soon subsided The children were too much Interested in their own skating to pay much attention atten-tion to anything else Such glorious sport as It was The air was Just frosty enough to prevent the lee from melting in the bright sunshine Perfect weather and perfect Ice cried Clara estatlcally as she fastened on her own skates and then with KIcanors assistance lilted the extra pair to grandmas feet Lets put her between us suggested suggest-ed Eleanor Well slide her around for a while till she feels like trying it herself Ity this time grandma had so entered en-tered Into the spirit of the fun that her Intention to stay on the bank was quite forgotten The trio skimmed over the pond then grandma wanted to try her skill alone Down she went with a suddenness tlmt quite took her breath away but by the time the frightened girls had helped her to her feet she was ready to try again assuring them that she was only out of practice In the meantime young Mrs Iloyt had returned to the deserted house and was wondering what had become of her motherinlaw und Eleanor Could it be that grandma had allowed herself her-self to bo taken to tho pond to watch the skaters Eleanor ought to know better than to sacrlllco the poor old lady to her childish pleasure Her mind tilled with such thoughts Mrs Hot started for the pond The merry shouts of the skaters readied her ears while she was still some distance dis-tance away There was no lonely little lit-tle figure on the bank Mrs nOt quickened her pace a sudden fear possessing pos-sessing her What had become of grandma 1 She caught sight of Eleanor skating with Clara and another girl whose skirt and tamoshanter looked strung ly I familiar m lust then the three turned and the bright sun shone full on their faces Mrs Iloyt took a long look then sank down on the bank with a little gasp Eleanor had caught sight of her and skated up In some alarm Hut before her daughter reached her Mrs Iloyt had recovered her self pos session and had risen to her feet Eleanor Iloyt she exclaimed what does this mean Eleanor uncertain what she should say gazed helplessly at grandma and Clara who had just overtaken her Grandma looked like the spirit of winter her cheeks flushed with exercise exer-cise her eyes glowing with excitement excite-ment soft little curls tumbling about her face It means she replied smiling at her daughterinlaws amazement that I have found something I thought I had lost forever Voull find n good attack of rheumatism rheu-matism expostulated tho younger woman but grandma shook her head emphatically I am never again going to find anything any-thing that goes with old age sill said It will have to 11 ml me and hunt for me looYouths Companion Com-panion |