en he looked, what was his dismay to see only a large iron ring!

Again he climbed the stairs to the attic but he felt too weary to say a
thing and his sister knew that he had met with disappointment. He tossed
the iron ring to her lap and went over to the bed and threw himself upon
it.

"This is the end!" he said, and told her about the iron ring.

"The old woman seemed interested in my playing!" he said, "And perhaps
she gave all she could give!"

"Let us not be downhearted, Brother!" said the sister. "Surely tomorrow
you will find someone who will reward your talent!"

The little old man was quiet for a long time and then he arose and again
drew his bow across the violin strings. The old lady sat very still and
dreamed, for her brother was playing one of their childhood songs.

As she lost herself in reverie, she turned the iron ring around her
finger and saw upon its surface, as she turned it, the faces of her
playmates of long ago.

And as the brother swept from one melody to another, she saw the iron
ring change color and grow larger and larger.

[Illustration]

And, as she turned it, she saw the figures of her childhood playmates
turn before her upon her lap, and they joined their voices with the
silvery notes of the violin's long ago songs until the attic was filled
with the melody and the figures danced from her lap and, taking her by
the hand, circled in the center of the attic room laughing and singing.

The little old man had been playing with his eyes closed, but as the
songs grew louder he opened them and beheld the ring of little figures,
with his sister holding hands with two of them. And, rising from the
bed, still playing the childhood songs of long ago, he walked to the
center of the room. As he did so, the figures rose in the air and seemed
to grow lighter and larger. And suddenly the scene changed! He was out
in the woods, with lofty trees towering above him, while all about,
laughing and talking, were hundreds of little fairies, gnomes and
sprites, and there, too, were the playmates of long ago, just as he had
seen them when he had closed his eyes and played in the attic.

And there, too, was his sister as she had been when a child. He looked
at himself, and lo! he was no longer wrinkled and old. He was young
again!

In his gladness he danced with joy, and catching his sister to his
breast he kissed her again and again.

And, looking about him with shining eyes, he again drew his bow