"No, but I ain't. I stay the same age I was when I come."

"Well," says I, "come to think, there's something just here that I
want to ask about. Down below, I always had an idea that in heaven
we would all be young, and bright, and spry."

"Well, you can be young if you want to. You've only got to wish."

"Well, then, why didn't you wish?"

"I did. They all do. You'll try it, some day, like enough; but
you'll get tired of the change pretty soon."

"Why?"

"Well, I'll tell you. Now you've always been a sailor; did you
ever try some other business?"

"Yes, I tried keeping grocery, once, up in the mines; but I
couldn't stand it; it was too dull--no stir, no storm, no life
about it; it was like being part dead and part alive, both at the
same time. I wanted to be one thing or t'other. I shut up shop
pretty quick and went to sea."

"That's it. Grocery people like it, but you couldn't. You see you
wasn't used to it. Well, I wasn't used to being young, and I
couldn't seem to take any interest in it. I was strong, and
handsome, and had curly hair,--yes, and wings, too!--gay wings like
a butterfly. I went to picnics and dances and parties with the
fellows, and tried to carry on and talk nonsense with the girls,