Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-06-20
The Middle
Aged Ledger
BY KATHLEEN J. MCURDY

Evan Hunt had loved Mary Ashworth
when they were young, but Evan had
drifted away from her before he could
support wife. aud Mary had lost
track of him Nevertheless she kept
his picture in her mind eye, and Evan
did not forget her. Twenty years
passed.
One morning Mary received a let
ter from her former lover, in which he
said that he had heard Of her through
u mutual friend who had given him
her address, that he was intending to
visit the town where she lived and
would call upon her He added few
very pleasant remarks the mutual
friend had made about her. giving the
impression that they especially inter
ested him In short, without commit
ting himself he left it to be understood
that since she was not married possibly
he might renew the suit Of his youth.
Miss Ashworth had changed consid-
erably during the interval She was
not quite forty years old, but certain
locks Of gray were scattered among
those Of black, and the freshness had
gone out Of her complexion She won
dered how Evan looked and tried to al
ter the picture of him in her minds
eye from a boy Of twenty to man Of
forty
However, she failed in this. Such
pictures are impossible. If we are
looking for one we have not seen for
twenty years we may recognize him on
sight, but otherwise the chances of a
recognition are slight.
Evan was aware Of the fact that he
would meet a middle aged instead of a
young woman. lie thought he would
like to settle in life with his former
love, for he was fairly we'll off by this
time, but would prefer to see what she
/ looked like and study her disposition
awhile before making up his mind,
one day Miss Ashworth's doorbell
rang, and, answering the summons
herself, she found a man who asked If
she could tell him where Thomas Nor
gan lived. He said he resided on that
street somewhere between 80 and 80,
but the man who sought him had for
gotten the exact number Miss Ash
worth said that she didn't know Of
any such person living in the street,
but asked the stranger to come inside,
for the weather was cold, and he
seemed inclined to talk it over with
her.
He accepted the invitation, and they
sat down together in the living
room. She asked him a few questions
about the man he was hunting for,
which he answered rather vaguely.
Then he spoke of the lateness of the
spring, told her that he was going to
settle in the town and was looking for
boarding place.
She told him there was one room in
her house she had often thought OF
renting, but she didn't care to serve
meals. If he would take his meals
somewhere else she would think the
matter over and let him know. 1t de-
pended somewhat on what he wished
to pay for a room. He asked her
what she would like to get for it, and
when she told him he said that was
about what he would be willing to
pay.
He would think the matter over,
too, and if she concluded to let him
have the room she might address Ed
ward Brown at the - hotel. Soon
after this he took his departure.
In a couple Of days he received a
note from the lady signed Emily Hig-
gins, saying that she had concluded to
let him have the room if he wanted it,
but she wasn't very particular about
renting it. He might do as he liked.
In a couple of days more Brown
wrote that he would take possession
of the room Mt once He didn't care
TO see it before occupying it; what he
wanted especially was to get out Of
the hotel and into a house where he
would feel more at home He APP
peared with his belongings the same
evening and settled himself in his new
apartment.
Emily Higgins mother, an old lady,
lived with her, and there was one serv-
ant in the house, woman. Miss Hig-
gins told Mr.. Brown that she Lad been
largely influenced in letting him have
the room because there was no man in
the house and the three women were
afraid Of burglars. Mr.. Brown replied
that he was glad they were thus stu.
ated, since it had gained him pleas
ant home.
IN the evenings Mr. Brown played
cribbage with Miss Higgins, and after
that they had beer and cheese. and Mr.
Brown smoked. One evening after the
supper when he was feeling very com.
Portable, he said to his companion.
I'D like TO know why you told me
your name is Higgins? I've learned
that it is AshwOrth'
"For the same reason, 1 suppose, that
you told me yours was Brown. I've
learned its Hunt
Evan drew off and surveyed her in
surprise.
"You know me, M0ry2"
do /? / knew you, Evan. the mo
ment you appeared at the door"
and have Leen keeping dark until
you found out what sort Of a fellow
I've grown to be- Are you satisfied