The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-11-27

remember rightly, and was never seen by you
again She might have strayed away"
$50 we thought for a whole year, doctor,
interrupted the banker. 1--WE never dreamed
| that she had been stolen. We searched every
where for her. and offered Immense rewards
for her recovery. employed detectives, but
all to no purpose. When our little Jessie ran
down the steps into that flower-garden," and
le pointed co the front of the house, las if the
earth had opened and swallowed her up, We
never saw her again"
"She must have found the gate open, an d
wandered out" suggested DR.. Hutton. "She
I been drowned"
The banker fixed his burning eyes upon the
physicians face, and said:
81 said we never saw the poor child again,
l did not say we had not heard of her. She
was lost on the 9th of August, 1854. For q
year we thought her dead. But on the ami
| versary of our loss we received q written mes
sage concerning her"
"a message!" cried Dr. Hutton, starting.
"A mere scrawl-a single line in hand EVIL
IDENTITY disguised" said the banker. "Here i:
is"
He produced dingy scrap of paper from .
drawer in the table, and held it up to the view
| OF the physician, who read as follows:
august 8; 1855. Jessie, la, ha! Jessie"
Dr. Hutton looked, with puzzled air, from
the scrap of paper, which he turned over and
over, to the cOuntenance of the banker.
II can make nothing of this" he declared.
1T is merely a date, with the name of your
lost daughter. 1t tells me nothing"
"Nor did it us, at first" said Mr.. Preble.
"Then that name and that date, with the de-
mon laugh connecting them, set us to think
ing. whole year We agonized over the
dreadful problem, and then we received an
other message, which you shall see."
lie thrust second slip of paper, identical
in shape and appearance with the first be-
fore the gaze of DIR. Hutton, who read it
aloud: -. -
"AUGUsr Q, 1856 Yosr Jessie still Aess.n
The physician started as if electrified.
"Ah this is something definite something
decisive he muttered. ut convinced you
that your daughter was still living"
eyes, doctor" said Mr.. Preble, sand every
anniversary Of chat day has brought US some
message. The disappearance of the child,
mysterious as it is, does not seem to me halt
SO strange as that the villain who took her
away could contrive to communicate with US
every year since, and always on particular
day-the anniversary of that on which she
was stolen-withOut our being able to dis
cover who he is. And . still greater wonder
to me is what can be his motive. 1t seems in
credible. Ii it was stated in a novel many
people would not believe it. But truth is
stranger than felton,"
Mr.. Preble drew from her husbands breast
pocket his notebook, opened it to the proper
page ana presented it to the physician.
DR.. Hutton adjusted his spectacles, glanced
over the QUa md fhan cl ~oal tl,o ~.~o,,,,
OF entries aloud. The entry the first year is
Is follows:
"AUGUsT 9, 1866. Jessie, Aa, ha! Jessie !'
And the next year it is -. u. -, ~. =. 90. -. Z
"AUGUsT 9, 1855. Your Jessie ssM Eces!"
And the next
"AUGUsT 8, 1857 She is in good HANDEL"
And the next
"AUsUsr 8, 1858. She is ,esN as eeer I" |
And the next
"AuGusr o, 1859. Isa,o her sesteriaym
And the next" fs-f ...tt .'..s n..
"AuGusr 8, 1860. Shes grv,oing rapidly !"
And the next
"AUGUsT 9, 1861. SHE continues to do ,oeU %
And the next
"AuGUsr 9, 1862. Toe secm Her aga,n ~
And the next
"AUcusT 0, 1868. !She'sJecominga pomaaa ~
And the next
"AUGUsT 8, 1864 Your cAia is thirteen %
And the next " " 81 g ~ @ T. r
"AUeUsT 9, 1865, She's boelier Man eyer :"
And the next
G"AyepsY Q, 1856. hsAss really esaymsing!"
And last year it IS
"AUGUsT ., 1867, NY REGARD Is at hand! ~
And what shall We get to-day9
The physician looked up and fixed his
thoughtful gazeupo the bereaved husband
and wife. o''''' ''.t N"'
'How did these messages come to you 2" he
Invariably by post" replied NJ. Prcble.
Usually to the house, but sometimes to the
office I"
Sand you have never seen their authors"
"Never!"
"The last OF them is dated, see, year ago
to-dayw ,,As
Eyes, yes" faltered the banker, "and the
the 9th Of August, 1881" .. e., -,-.y I
"Lsee," said DIR. Hutton. sand this is tile
secret of your terrible excitement! You are
expecting to receive to-day another of these
strange messages !" a.,. ...,a
There was brief silence. Mrs. Prebles
hand futtered in its task, and her face grew
very pale. The banker breathed gaspingly.
The physician regarded them both in friendly
1--WE shall hear of her again to-day" said
Prehr and what will the message bel"
The mother averted her face. Her brave
heart ialcred as that question echoed in her
soul.
The writer Of these letters is unqucstOna-
ply the abductor OF your child" said DIR.