The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-07-18
JONATHAN
Ny Perley Poors sheehan.


 familiar blue. when you are not feel Ing well and the world grates on you like a camers hair shirt, there is noth- Ing so good as an old fashioned love letter"
 They must have been tender and sympatheuc, but withal a dash of an, bltlon and inspiration 10 them. No tels of village gossip could have brought that light Into JOnathan's eyes or that flash of color Co his check h thclr conclusion he would dream awhile perhaps and then fall at his books and work like mad
 He showed me her picture one night She was dark. with a high forehead and shadowy eyes Tho mouth and chin were both well formed. but rather masculine. It was a beautiful face though not pretty.
 Although uarrod had loved the girl an his llfe-and she hlm. if there be aught in the signs of the zodiac-they bad a misunderstanding of some sort or other during the summer that fol lowed' bis graduation. When he re- turned east the following autumn. be was Quicter than ever before and, II possible. moro gentle and sympathetic.
 He and I had rooms together. where. In lieu of other Inexpensive pastimes, we were wont Co spend the evenings working and rcadlng ! saw from the drst that something ailcd him, and as be no longer received the blue en- vclopes or counscled me Co lose my heart guessed the reason and asked DO questions.
 He dld not become apathctic. Jona- than didn't Ills old habit of work was stronger than ever And now his stories began Co appear occasionally in the magazines and the dear public Co recognize his name and Co read what went with it
 Two years had passed away before Jonathan had made even the slightest reference Co this love affair of hls, and that was when he came Into my room one cheerlcss gray November after noon the picture Of abicct melancholy.
 In his hand was a crumpled piece of paper This be placed before me on the table; then be went and seated himself before the fireplace, where l could not see hls fncc. The paper was a clipping from some inland journal describing In lorid terms the wedding of Miss Winlfrcd Conoyer to one Amos Scheneck. Only half the article had been clipped evidently. and this had been pasted on a half sheet Of note pa per
 read the tawdry effusion through; then ! twisted it Co pieces and dropped lt Into Che wastcbaskct
 Jonathan. my boy" said, going over and seating myself on thc arm of his chair. "who sent you this thingT "I do not know" And there was a world of sadness iu his voice. "Tho envelope was addressed in a strange hand. and not a word accompanied it"
 We were both silent for a moment The logs were burning chccrily; out. side the wind was blowing a gale. Jon- athan sat with hts facc lu his hands.
 ."When came here Co you just now, he said. "I was chilled and lonely The day is SO sombor-0ud ] had been rumplnr nu .vor Che country, and well. ! came Co sly -3odby ] wanted 20 leave ih's ne 0nl walt for Wini 'rrd lu Che next. f1r'-hIs voicc went .tuiclt tu my hCurt-"uh. Billy. l lovN Icr so.'
 "You llc down hcrr on the lounge be orc Che frc." l commanded him. "aud Cop this brooding pushed forward hr couch ns ] spoke, aud he dropped ln lt like on o5cdicnt child He gave uc one grateful look and then, under he influence of thc genial warmth and uc fatigue of many ylgils. feb fast islycp.
 Whether or not dozcd ] cannot say. Iut suddenly was aware that some other than Jonathan was ln the room [ raised my eyes, and there, Co my ln. finite surprise and astonlShment l saw standing opposite me. across the table. a stylishly gowned young woman.
 I started Co my feet with an apology on my lips. but as ! glanced at her face my tongue was tied. and remained silent She was dark and with a high forehead and shadowy eyes. The mouth and chin were both well formed, but rather masculine and she was beau tiful. though not pretty.
 Miss Couovcr" l exclaimed
 "Ycs." she answered. with a voice thnt was low and vibrant. "lt Is l." Then. with the color mantling her cheek. she continued.
 "I have just arrived ln the city, Yesterday ] learned that an ancient enemy of Jonathan's sent hlm para graph from an account of cousins wedding. andT-the color Increased. then quickly subsided-"knowing Jon athan SO well. l wished. 1T possible, to sec hlm bcforl the clipping reached him. And. yoU see, knew you also knew hlm well"
 Her lips closed tightly for a second, then curved intc a smile Two great tears started from beneath the droop Ing lashes, but were quickly Intercept ed
 looked toward the place where Jonathan lny. A screen was between him and fhp vlqltcr. and only his soft