The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-12-07
THE BROKEN HOME.
TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION.
CONTINUED.

WINGED you that your daughter was still
living"
Yes DOCTOR" said Mr.. Prebe, 'and
every anniversary of that day has brought
us some message The disappearance of
the child mysterious as it is, does notseem
to me half 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 an
niversary Of that on which she was stolen
without our being able to discover who
he is. And still greater wonder to me
is what can be his motive. 1t seems in
credible. If it was stated in novel
many people would not believe it. But
truth is stranger than fiction
Mrs. Preble drew from her husbands
breast-pocket his notebook, opened it to
the proper page, and presented it to the
physician.
DR.. Hutton adjusted his spectacles,
glanced over the page, and then slowly
read the of entries aloud. The entry the
FIRST year is as follows:
"AueUsr 9, 1855. Jesac,ha, ho' .Jessie.
And the next year is
"AueUsT 9,lS56. Io,J JeSsie sbH TRES"
And the next
"Aueusr 0, 1857. She IS in good
hands r'
And the next
AUGUST 9, 1858. SHE !, wcH as erc,. ~
And the next
"AueUsr9, 1859. sar he, yestcydayi"
And the next
"Auousr 9, 1860. she .gyo,ca,g rap
idly,
And the next
"Aueusr 8, 1861. She continues to 10
weH"
"AueUsr 8, 1862 lie seen her a9am."
And the next
"Aucusr 8, 1868. She. Jccomiog a
,condn ~
And the next
AUGUST 9, 1854. Tom' chM IS h6.
teen J"
And the next
"AUeusr 9, 1865. She's lo,eher Ma,
eoer I'
And the next
"Aueusr 8, 1865. Sbe's,rolH cba9o-
mgr
And the last year is
"Auersr 8, 1867. Ny ,rmord j. nj
handp'
And what shall we get to-day
The physician looked up and fixed his
thoughtful gaze upon the bereaved hus-
band and wife
"How did these messages come to you?"
he demanded.
Invariably by post" replied Mr..
Preble. " Usually to the house, but
sometimes to the office -
And you have never seen their au-
thor"
Never !"
THE last of them is dated, | see,
year ago to-day"
"Yes, yes faltered the banker, "and
the time has come for another message,
This is the 9th of August, 1867
81 see," said DR.. Hutton. "And this
is the secret Of your terrible excitement
You are expecting to receive to-day
another of these strange messages ~
There was brief silence. Mrs. Pre-
bles hand Auttered in its task, and her
face grew very pale. The banker breath
ed gaspingly. The physician regarded
them both in friendly sympathy.
We shall hear of her to-day" said
Mr.. Preble "and what will the message
be'?"
The mother averted her face. Her
br ave heart faltered as that question
echoed in her soul.
1.-THE writer of these letters is unques-
tionably the abductor of your child y said
DR.. Hutton. Have you any suspicion
as to his idenity ?"
Not the slightest, said Mr.. Prcble.
I'VE have puzzled over the problem for
many years but we cannot guess who
he is"
Think said the doctor. Have you
no enemy? do not mean people with
whom you are not friendly-every STIR
ring man has plenty of these-but a
downright enemy! Is there no man whom
you knew in the East who hated YOU d?
No one against whom you were called
upon to testify-no one whom you posi-
bly, injured?"
The banker shook his head He had
asked himself all these questions repeat
eddy.
81 have no such enemy, DOCTOR" he
answered with sincerity of voice and
manner.
"And Mrs. Preble?" suggested the
doctor, turning to her. Have you no
rejected sutton who might be rovengeful
enough to desolatc your home ~
NO" said the lady. 81 was married
early. Morton was my first lover ~
This is strange-very strange :" NUT
tered the doctor. "You are not con.
seious of having an enemy in the world,
and yet you have an enemy hidden foe
"A hend in human form-who is working
out against you fearful hatred And
you have not the slightest suspicion as to
whom he is?"
Not the slightest" declared the
banker"
"Not the slightest !" echoed Mrs. Pre-
BILE My husband had a step-brother
who might have been capable Of this in
fany-but he is dead :"
The handwriting is not familiar?"
"No. 1t is merely rude scrawl, as
you see" said the banker. :" 1t suggests
nothing-except that it is evidently dis.
guised !"
Again there was profound silence.
"Onr child is seventeen years old now '
at length murmured Mrs. Preble, hel
voice trembling. d" She is on the thresh
old of womanhood No doubt, during al
these years, she has yearned for us
wherever she may be, as we have yearnet
for her =!
But where is she ?" asked the phys