The daily Alaskan., 1908-12-10
FOUND TN
 THE WOODS. By GRANT PACKARD. Copyrighted, lsOs, by AaBociated
 Literary. Pregg
By GRANT PACKARD.

BOmed out With unpalnleu plne cuesv nut stands, topped by the rOaster, which sent out the fragrance of the mealy nuts.
 A crisp tang in the air sent the end less procession of workers along at a smarter pace. Only an occasional dere- lict sauntered along at q laggard's gait. Overhead a thin haze yelled the sky, changing the blue of the cloud less Armament to q softer tint, and through this yellow sun burned duly.
 Paul westford as he hurried toward the office snifted the odor of the roast ing chestnuts and smiled reminiscent- ly. Of course chestnuts roasted in pan over charcoal fire could not be as good us when they were gathered in the wood and roasted fin a fire shovel.
 It took two to roast chestnuts prop erly, two In a cozy parlor with an open fire for the only illustration.
 He knew all about roasting chest nuts. It was while they were roasting chestnuts that Carol Ryder had prom ised to be his wife. Ever since that night the perfume of the chestnut stands had reminded him of the girl be had loved and lost,
 The course of true love had run with its customry irregularlty, so 1t befell that during one of their misunderstand- lngs John Ryder, Carols father, had fallen upon evil times. His invest ments were threatened for lack of ready money. Another man had come to Ryders aid and had claimed CaROl as his reward.
 The girl had married him in the mis- taken belief that she owed 1t to her father to obey his wishes, and when Paul sought reconciliation he had found that 1t was too late.
 He had come to the city that he might not be reminded daily of bis loss and had proSpered greatly. He had found engrossment if not forget fulness in business.
 Yet always the smell of roasting chestnuts brought back to him that night in the Ryder parlor and he could feel again that thrill of joy when he heard the whispered Yes"
 Today 1t came back to him moro strongly than ever, and on the pages of the letters he opened he could see the picture of the woods about Carris- ville, rioting with color under the au- tumn sun.
 He had never gone back to the town since his first departure. He had never wanted to see the place. But today he heard the country call him, and the call was not to be denied. He arrang- ed with his chief clerk to look after affairs for few days. and that night he left on the sleeper for Carrisville.
 He found the town was sadly changed. Paul arrived in the early hours, when few were stirring. and as sleepy hackman drove sleepier horse through the silent street Paul felt a lump rise in bis throat as when one greets an old friend and finds him that friend no longer, but even more foreign than an actual stranger.
 The old brick. schoolhouse had grown Into stone structure several stories in height. There was new Methodist church, and many of the old houses had been replaced by more imposing structures, while in the business sec ton the store fronts had been altered to present a metropolitan aspect.
 It was not until after lunch and Paul had started out Into the country that he began to feel at home. Re had looked up none of his old friends, fear lng to find them as sadly changed as the village itself.
 There was a trolley now to take him to the outskirts of the town, but he dropped off when the canal bridge came in sight and the trolley turned on the road to the river The bridge was not changed.
 It was the same low, white structure from which he had dropped many a time to the deck of some passing canal boat to ride down to the lock and beg ride back.
 Beyond the bridge, too, the road looked the same. The trend of pros ress had been along the line Of the trolley, and on this side of the canal the farmhouses were unchanged.
 They had not even mended the break in the fence where he formerly slipped through for the short cut to the marsh. Here the largest frogs were always to be caught, and Paul was tempted to push through just to see If he siL was slender enough.
 It was a sharp climb up the bill, and Paul was glad to pause and rest for moment when he gained the crest. Be- low, the canal wound It's way between grassy banks, the towpath, dotted with toillng mules, showing white against the green.
 Farther yet the river flowed placidly on to the churning foam of the rapids below, and between lay the level acres now yellow with stubble. In the val ley, the autumn tints were not yet pro- nounced, but at hls back, on the heights, the woods were glorious with ..,T1