Mountain advocate., 1922-11-24
Those
Friday Evenings
By ELLA SAUNDERS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
20. igaa. western Newspaper Union.l

/ dHdTlHtHt uFloWn. II COhStSlcu VI
three rooms and bath.
Every morning Miss Carruthers
busted and swept, then went out and
made her purchases, then prepared
her dinner. After dinner came a lit
tie nap, a little sewing, perhaps a
walk; then supper, little light read
ing Miss Carruthers was romantic),
bed.
But on Friday nights the program
varied. Every Friday evening the
supper table was laid for two. At
9 80 precisely Mr.. James Wadsley,
who was of Miss Carruther's own age,
rang the bell. Then Miss Carruthers'
heart would flutter, and, attired in her
best silk gown. she would hurry to the
door.
Good evening Joan, my dear"
Good evening. James,"
They would sit down to dinner. It
was always roast ham, of which Mr..
Wadsley was very fond. with French
fried potatoes and New England apple
pie. Sometimes they would 60 TO the
| theater after, but as often as not they
sat and chatted, and Mr.. Wadsley
smoked a cigar. until at ten o'clock
| they shook hands, Mr.. Wadsley said
goodnight, and Miss Carruthers set
tied herself for the week that must
elapse before she saw him again.
The mystery7 They had been sweet
hearts years ago and quarreled. James
Wadsley made a hasty marriage. II
was not unhappy, exactly, but It might
have been happier Then they met
and realized their folly. They loved,
would always love.
A permanent separation seemed i'm
possible. But both were honorable.
AS result they agreed to meet each
Friday evening. There were to be no
embraces. They were to remain pla-
tonic friends.
Every Friday night James Wadsley
left his home, his wife and two girls
under the pretense of going to his
club and spent the evening at Miss
Carruthers' fat. Incidentally, he sup
ported Miss Carruthers. But he was
a rich man, and-well, that had been
part of the arrangement.
And all this had begun twenty-seven
years before. In the twenty-eighth
year Mrs. Wadsley died.
"As soon as the year is up. dear"
said James Wadsley. They did not
kiss-so strong is habit Things went
on much as before. Every Friday
night James Wadsley appeared, ate
roast ham and French fried potatoes,
and took Miss Carruthers to the thea
ter or went home.
Six months went by, nine months.
Miss Carruthers began to show signs
of unrest. She acted strangely. Once
she unexpectedly burst into tears
something which had been strictly
prohibited under the original under
standing. For there was to be no
emotionality.
During the first six months James
Wadsley had frequently discussed
their future. Miss Carruthers was set
in her ways, like most old maids She
must live in the city, they must have
a nice apartment near where she lived
now. She could not change her trades
men, with whom she had dealt so
many years.
James Wadsley listened and studied
her. He wondered what had become
Of the Elsie Carruthers whom he
had loved in his youth. This was--a
different person.
And then-his daughters. He had
never told them about Miss Carruth-
ers. he, too, had become set, although
he did not notice It
They were to be married when the
year had expired. They did not mind
the waiting. Once they could not
have borne to be separated four-and-
twenty hours. Still. the marriage was
to be the fruition Of a whole lifetime
of-of love.
At this point James Wadsley, who
was not a sardonic man. smiled rather
grimly.
Miss Carruthers grew more odd.
She became emotional In spite of the
agreement. Sometimes Mr.. Wadsley
wondered what was stirring In her.
why. their old confidence had broken
down. They had long periods of ST.
lence.
One evening when eleven months
had gone by Miss Carruthers revealed
her heart:
james, I've been thinking"
my dearT'
"It has been so pleasant, this long
association, and we have been 80
happy, haven't wei"
Every happy, my dear"
Suppose we don't get married"
"WhatT" He stared at her. "You
mean that1"
1T would be such IA break,
wouldn't It? SO upsettlng." There
spoke the old maid. "And then, don't
you see, you could continue to come
here every Friday night and we
shouldn't be risking-oh, losing every
thing"