Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-06-01
INDIAN
SUMMER
BY KEITH GORDON


passed down the steps and out into the
background for the small, well set
| head and face which was 1T once hui
moroGs and qui2zical, as If the pageant
| of life had raised in her an eternal
| question and an accompanying smile.
AT tie distance Of half block the
| tr,ia fgure in its severe white ptue
seemed all girl. A closer approach,
however, showed in the wayy dark
hair Isolated silver thrcads-those out
riders of time which come to lay low
| the loveiest
! And, indeed, only few days before
two PLACID matrons who had east off
| their girl,sh slimness as snake does
its skin ana achieved in its place so
lidty ana doube ohins might have
been heard discussing her case.
Strange that Elizabeth Ware doesn't
| marry observed one, as with eyes
bent upon her embroidery hoop she
| caused strange floral piece to bloom
upon piece of white linen. shes
getting on. Let me see. she was in
| tilt iitAt NtstSS W me III Allbt. lyDlt y.
and Harold will be fourteen next Oc-
tober." Harold was her eldest child
one Of those cantankcrous pegs by
which matrons keep tab on the age of
their unmarried friends
's;le must be nearly thirty-five if
she's day" the speaker concluded
after a brief pause, in which she de-
tal ,-tt Al,
proper shade of green to use for
maidenbair fern. Tier time is grow
ing short
Her companion, aged in Il similar
employment. loo&cd meltatively off
over the smooth shaven lawn which
seemed to share her own domestic
placidity.
"Thirty-four. think" she announced
in voice whose preoccupation suG-
gested that fle had been rummaging
in that prehistoric past which contain
ed neither husband nor babies. "rhir-
ty-four, I'm pretty sure. Still, she ce"-
tainly doesn't look it, and she's always
had plenty of attention"
In the absorbing interest of the flow
gle tut. NN4t lUNDiOiliLI- lIit SUBJECT
was dropped, but the thought wave
then started reached Elizabeth Were
herself later on
1t was wonderful day. full of mel
low. mature. indeScrihable charm.
Summer grows wise" Elizabeth
thought to herself mo longer dazzling
and shrivelng, but flooding the world
in mists.''
The strong. white ungloved hands
twrled the parasol thoughtfully while
their owner drew in deep breath.
There was something in the day that
stirred memories, brought back half
forgotten flirtations, filled her thoughts
with vague, beautiful regret-the loss
Of something she had never known.
Somewhere about a locust shrilled
its warning of the frosts TO come.
Miss Wares eyes grew dreamy, pen
sive with that questioning of the fu-
ture which will disturb the Iand of the
minated woman until the last fence is
reached
Had she perchance made a mistake?
She thought of her school friends wrap
ped in contentment-and hesh-who no
longer seemed contemporaries. They
had secured their matrimonial prizes
yes. and sat down by the roadside of
life, with no desire to fare furtherl
SO far as she knew all were mildly
happy. But beside them She felt ride
ulously young and joyous. a smile
touched her lips as she reflected that
ii was with Harold, the fourteen-year-
old, that she preferred to walk and
talk, rather than with Harold's plump
and settled mamma.
Then she reviewed the thirty-five
years that stretched behind her, fam
ing like the tail of Il comet. with var-
ETY., with pleasant wanderings, with an
ever changing group of men friends
who had added piquancy and deep
knowledge to her experience Exchange
that long, beautiful experience, that
brilliant after glow of youth which had
kept her radiant and alert, for the calm
happiness of her married friends?
Never!
Just as she reached this energetic
negative the approaching figure Of
man held her idle gaze. AS he came
nearer Il smile of pleased recognition
lighted her face She could scarcely be-
lieve her eyes-Fergus Blynn, lined
and his meaning deepened by his ten
years of absence, but still undeniably
Fergus.
Before the gladness of the surprise
died out of her eyes he had seen her
ana they were wringing each others
hands in smiling delight
Tile same old Elizabeth" he said
warmly and yet with little wonder
IN his voice, which made her foel Ike
au anomaly. You used TO be about
my age; but, great Scott, you might
almost pass for my daughter now,
How do you manage it. and who's the
Happy many
He was walking beside her, aud Eliz-
abeth turned her face to him nquiring
~. Then it dawned upon her, and she
voiced a rather superior "Ohr before
she proceeded to explain that her life
partner tarried unaccountably. Blynn
eyed her shrewdly.
on seem TO pass the waiting with
good deal of satisfaction to yourself"