The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-01-14
*.r::eaaG@aA@@
 S0NDERORCHARDBOUGHS
BY IDl kENNISTON.

F BY IDA KENNISTON.
 Ford Ashcroft, editor of The Nowadays Magazine. war Sot satisfied with the make up of tho May number. He took an art calendar from the wall by his side snb tnrpcJ the leaves until be came Co Inc May page. The picture was an eN- rcllrnt copy of water color paintihs' h reprcscntcd an orchard of apple trees covered with their pink and white bloom' A young girl stood under one Of the trees, leaning gracefully against the gnatleu trunk. her hands claspcd loosely heiorS her. The whole was delicately unted and seemed almost to carry with n faint fragrance of the blossom i"u'n May.
 His thoughts went back to the village of Raynor. where he had spent rev months years ago. Some college prank had brought him into trouble with the faculty. and he had been suspended Tor fonr months. His father had sent him 10 the little Connecticut village Co spend the time with an old college clossmate.
 One of the village girls, shy little taith rhornc. had from the first held captive his boyish fancy. As be came Co hiow her better hcr influence Increased. and he said to himself that he had found the pearl among women. Brought up in Quaker household. for Faith was an or phan and lived with her grandparents, certain quaintuess. childllkc simplicity and dircctness. made her seem unlike the other merry. chattcring country lasscs.
 Little by little he and Faith came Co be more and more to each other. The wild rose flush in her cheeks deep ned when he was by: sweet shyness made tue blue eyes droop before his.
 She would not let him bind himself by any promise: they were both to' youns' she had said He must So away no" finish his college course with honor, and then. when he had taken the place wait Ing for him in his fathers office, he misAt come again Co Rayuor, and he would hnd her waiting for him.
 so op this afternoon. with the Fcbru ary storm raging without Ford Asn- croft's thoughts went back and hnSereu on the sprugtime idyl of those long ago years. Could it bc l2 years-Faith would be 20 now. but somehow he could mol think of her as looking much older than the young girl hc had left iu me orchard. Surely she had not lost that nure. childiihe face~-a little oldcr per hapS. a little sadder. but still with those innocent. wi~tful eyes. And howell he was 3i. he had lived in the midst oi the rush and whrl of city lifc
 "It would make good story. he tnol ly remarked. and turned Co his desk. took up his pen ard began Co writc, slowly at first: then. as thc past sl 'mcd Co come nearer. his pen moved more rapidly over the page. He told of the college youth lp ;hc little village. of thc shy maiden who won his boyish heart; he described inc old orchard. with its ciory of apple blooms: he seemed almost Go iuhale their delicate fragrance as he wrote. lho while pretty idyl was told in simple words. but with such exquisite urt that one who read might almost see lhe pretty picture ot che girli>h Fath, Miin her pure. twsJtul eyes, and thc boy h lover who bent Co kiss her cheek beneath the orchard boughs. Then thc story oi the young lover who went away. who grew older and ,terucr. who struggled md wou-aud forgot
 After awhile hc took thc pen and wrote again.
 A month later che editor was startled Co find among his personal mall at me office au envelope bearing the postmarN cf Rayuor:
 My Dear Tor,-I ll,c ral One str. "rn'.r OrrHrrf V.r...f ir Inc N.HI 'I"s. Ini, i..| vcp have changed On. rlu.s o. n. r.H'. an. '' thc place. kr.w at once On. it v1. gaf s'l. Prt. L,1r. you should noe have end it ' i.1 diI When Frrl Reynolds falls a..trl in iN u...' railway station. where hc is vait'r- if ' traIn. and Che young r.i Cm.s ln wIH Nr ,-,,f.l of ar1i. b'o...ns. wh..e fHHan.., .t.... in- Into his dreams. makes bm fancy l once mar, lr Che olI orDHri. when n, v.' .' eri it but a dr.lm and knows .t hN t.' on. thing his life has is,kcl Iu tHc m.if o' iH lr- rr5.r.r.ty: when. s.if.l vitH ..H sck longing tr "a sight o' One I..l .i- knouu. he rishcs Co Che uea.. o".- '.i ..a' a ticket Co Che u,tle ,.''a-.. an. t.r. NlH e'' you not let him carry Out ls t~t i".i'et "F did you make him h0..t1t. a1i t"'n .a uae@ on the hope be might iaye made ms .ant
 cannot siy moro ti1n th.e U l'l care To como to Rayr0r. you uil GHl ua Wl.H1s n me old orchard. and you win lni me s.iN
 FtrI moayr
 Ford Ashcroft crushed tho letter ia hi' hand with muttercd impiccou.n' "Cowardr' he said Co himself herc''y' "Coplln't have found enough literary material without dr3l-iug poor Li..e Faith into print? lt was da.''rd'y thlng Co do. but who would have thoaS'. she would have seen the thingt And now
 He hastily put thc letter in his pocket as the sound Of voices was heard in tne hall. The next moment the door Wa'' e thrown open and two children rushed iu' the older oue eXclaimiug brcathless'y. spono. nopo. the carriage has come. and manima is ready. and you said you'd go ,o wide wiv us today. cause its my birthday. and I'm years o'd.
 Ashcroft picked up the child and gave her half a dozen Kisses in honor of tne dav. Then he went for drive win ms wife and little ones. the pathetic letter from Faith Thorue still in his pocket Chicago Herald.
 lJout stay away from church on ac-