The daily Alaskan., 1920-08-26
BISCUIT PERFUME
By R. RAY BAKER


 alarm clock rang down the curtain 0l the dream and his eyes sprang open.
 The room looked rhe same as al- ways, and yet there seemed something strange about It. Finally 1t dawned on him that perfume from the past was scentlng up his surroundlngs-a perfume of baking biscuits.
 The strange thing about 1t was that il his dream he had been seated at a table about to begin m attack on warm biscuits and maple syrup.
 The faint sound of an oven door banging shut and the rattlIng of pans came from the next room.
 "The new light housekeepers," George commented, as he crawled from bed and began to dress. "That won't last long. Mrs. Maloney simply won't stand for any baking"
 Arriving at his office, George waded into his correspondence, gave Instruc- tons to his assistants and clerks, then secluded himself from all callers and gave himself up to day dreams.
 Elsie Hayers was the cause and the subject of these dreams, George could not forget her, although he had seen her last ten years ago. At first, when he came to Detroit, he had given her scarcely a thought, he was so busy making good In the real estate "game;" and besides, his fellow workers were acquainted with q number of attractive city girls, one of whom quite cap- tlvatcd George and allowed him to spend a great deal of time with her and a great deal of money on her; un- til her former sweetheart, who had been West, came back and married her, and took her to Colorado.
 When George recovered from the blow he discovered he had never loved Vivian; it had been simply a case of infatuatIon. Ills thoughts naturally re- verted to Elsie. and he attempted to renew his neglected correspondence with her. Ills letters came back un- opened. stamped "UnClalmed." He M4'At l' l4AAltl II JULIUS anu AtaAA lifA that Elsie and her mother had left Harbor Springs and were living in Chi cago, although their address was unOb- tainahlc
 "Why not pay the old town a visit, anyhow?" he asked himself after few moments more of cogtatioa.
 Twelve hours later he stepped of the train at Harhor Springs. As he walked up a bun his gait increased.
 Before long he met q farm fivver in which hc noticed number of large tin cans.
 'HcIIo" he called. "Wuit a minute"
 The driver applied the brakes. and the machine stopped.
 "WcN wcll." said the driver. If It aln't George Urnl"rSonI"
 "Bm JackctSr" George exclaimed, and he extended hand. which met a firm, wurm clasp. Are yoG sttn deal- ing in maple syrur?"
 "You bet. U,rr's thirty gallons. I'm taking 'cm to the store"
 "Wunt rwrnry-ufnc Hr enough for the Storc:" asked George. reaching for his poc',r,honE. "I haven't tasted maple syrup ia Ten ycars."
 "Nopc l can't >.l It." BITS face was covered with a' multitude of grin ming wrinkles 9s he added. but I'll give you one. for old times sake, you know You used 10 be my best GUS toner"
 George thanked him and trul-ad on with his can of syrup. It was heavy, but it wouldn't he after he found the shady spot. Soon hr came to four corners On each of Dhe corners WIS a house. George paused in front of the smallest.
 "Elsic's old hom," h. sighed. Won der who lives lhcro now|
 He mounted tI3r porch. The door was opeT and only a screen barred his progress. To his astoui>hmont the same perfume that had assailnd his noStrilS two mornings ago came from the interior of thn house.
 He knocked and a mfddlC-acod lady, with white mdr hustled to the door. When George saw hcr hc dropped the can of syrup on tha porch floor.
 Mrs. Huvcrs" he almost shouted, wringtnE her hand %
 "Wcll, well. George. It does seem good to look on your face once more. And what's in that can? Maple syrup? I might havG'Ainowcd it. You're just in time for breakfHst-and we have biScuits-always do for brcakfast- even down iH Hctroit-"
 George was walking toward the kitchen. He stuck his head through the doorway and his eyes took In a young lady bending before the oven. The girl looked up and their glances met.
 "What-what are you doing hcre?" she raltered, and her eyes found the floor.
 "I just dropped in for breakfast. You see, have maple syrup, and you you have the biscuits; so I thought We might Collahorate.
 'sYpS" OhgCr"Cd Mrs. HayerS, ls