Miss Beulah Ruhl lived in Hereford, a small, unincorporated community in north-central Maryland – about equidistant to Baltimore City and to the Mason-Dixon Line of neighboring Pennsylvania.
Hereford had its own Post Office from 1821-1903, but is now within the postal zone for Monkton, Maryland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hereford,_Maryland
In January of 1908, Beulah received a birthday greeting from C. E. H.
The postcard was not mailed, suggesting that the sender lived nearby or had regular contact with Beulah.
Although clearly dated for 1908, the postcard appears to have been printed a couple of years earlier as it has an undivided back.
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The face of the postcard bears a medallion photograph of a man of mature years.
There is no printed message – the postcard photograph could have been employed in a variety of personal or professional situations.
Beside the photograph, the sender has written, “Many Happy Returns of January 2nd 1908”.
There are no clues about the relationship of Mr. H to Miss Ruhl.
The postcard was printed in the United States although there is no indication of the photographer or the publisher.
I believe the postcard was made by a local printer somewhere near Hereford.
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Beulah saved the birthday greeting and photograph throughout her life.
The postcard suffered damage at some time in the last century, as can be seen in the original image (below).
Digital tools removed the worst blotches on the face and repaired the broken lines around the photographic portrait.
I have not yet found records of Miss Ruhl that could establish the identity of her correspondent.
One hopes that Beulah enjoyed a wonderful birthday and many years of postcard correspondence with Mr. H.
