Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-11-26

date, with the demon laugh connecting
them, set US to thinking. A whole
year we agonized over the dreadful
problem, and then we received another
message, which you shall see.
He thrust a second slip Of paper,
identical in shape and appearance with
the first, before the gaze of DR.. Hutton,
who read it aloud:
August Q, 1896. Your Jessie SIN lfres.''
The physician started, as if electri-
fed.
''Ah! this Is something definite
something decisive, - he muttered. ''It
convinced you that your daughter was
still Hving.''
'FYes, Doctor sasa Mr.. Preble, 'and
every anniversary q that day has
brought us some message. The disap-
pearance Of the child, mysterious as it
is, does not seem 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 a
particular day-the anniversary Of that
on which she was stolen-withOUt our
being able to discover who ne IS and
a still greater wonder to me IS what
can be his motive. It seems incredible.
If it was stated in novel many peO-
pie would not believe it. But truth Is
stranger than fiction.'H y
Mrs. Preble drew from her husbands
breast-p0elzet his notebook, opened It
to the proper page, and presented II to
DR.. Hutton aG5Iusted his spectacles,
glanced over the page, and then slow
" read the group Of entries aloud. The
entry the first year is as follows:
ssAugust 0, 1855. Jessie, IA, ,,ha Jessie
And the next year il is
stAugust Q, 1856. Your aEessis stilSlires!''
And the next
sAugust g. 85T. She is in good hQ7adiS!s'
And the next
ssAuglst 8, Is5s. she is tceHas e,gr-''
1sAugust ., 1859. Isa,c her 5,ssteydcgf"'
ssAugast o, 1850. she's grOeoing rqptdEyt''
ssAug1Sst ., 1851. Sheoontinuesto to do 10eEgT
And the next
0August 9, 1864 Ire seen her again.!
And the next
ssAugUst 0, 1893. She's becoming a teon,an!
sGugSst gus 8, 1854. Your chad Is thirteent''
''AugHst S,'iso5. she'sIorelt.ta than erer,''
And the next
august 9s i 866. She's really chdTH2ill1g''
And the next
And what shall we get to-day!
The physician looked up and fixed
his thoughtful gaze upon the bereaved
husband 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 %
''Neyerl'
"The last of them is dated, see, a
year ago to-day 7"
eyes, yes, - faltered the banker, ''and
the time has come for another mes
sage. This is the 9th of August, 1868"
There was a brief silence. Mrs.
Preble's hand f1uttered in its task, and
her face grew very pale. The banker
breathed gaspingly. The physician
regarded them both i'll friendly sym
pathy.
1--WE shall hear of her again to-day
said Mr.. Preble, 'and what will the
message be p
brave heart faltered as that question
echoed in her soul.
'sThe writer of these letters is un-
qUestiOnablY the abductor of your
child ~ said DIR. Hutton. Have you
any suspicion as to his identity ?''
mot the slightest - said Mr.. Preble.
owe have puzzled over the problem
for many years, but we cannot guess
who it is.n
''Think,r said the doctor. Have
YOU no enemy I do not mean peo-
pie with whom you are not friendly
every stirring man has plenty of these
but a downright enemy Is there
no man whom you knew in the East
who hated you? No one against whom
You were called upon to testify-no
one whom you possibly injured ?''
The banker shook his head. He had
asked himself all these questions re-
peatedly.
''I 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 suitor who might be revenge
full enough to desoIate your home 20
''No," said the lady. f'I was married
early. Morton was my first lover"
'This is strange-very strange u
muttered the doctor. "You are not
conscious of having an enemy in the
world, and yet you have an enemy-a
hidden foe-a fiend in human form
who is working out against you fear
full hatred And you have not the
slightest suspicion as to who he is ?"
mot the slightest" declared the
banker.
mot the slightest" echoed Mrs.
Preble. ''My husband had a step
brother who might have been capable
of this infamy-but he is dead"
''The handwriting is not familiar 20
"No. 1t is merely a rude scrawl, as
you see," said the banker. "It sug-
gests nothing-except that it is evi-
IDENTIFY disguised 20
Again there was a profound silence.
"Our child is seventeen years old
now" at length murmured Mrs.
Preble, her voice trembling. "She is
doubt during all these years she has
yearned for us, wherever she may be,
as we have yearned for her ~
but where is she ?' asked the ply
sician, and now his voice was broken
by his deep sympathy with the agon-
lied parents. s'Where can she be ?"
- :. HeaTen 5,eat,t only knows" an, answered
cisco-perhaps in some rude hut in the
interior, with some obscure farmer,
and under name that is not hers. I
think her abductor would have carried
her to some lonely region of the in
terror, among the valleys and noun
tains. Yet never see a young girl in
the streets without turning to look at
her, or ever hear girlish voice without
listening eagerly, half fancying that it
may prove the voice of my lost Jessie"
'Oh, pitying heaven - sighed DR..
Hutton, dashing a flood of tears from
his eyes, Twill this long agony never
be over ?''
answered Mrs. Preb1e, with the firm
ness of unfaltering trust in Gods mer-
cy. 1.-THE last message we received
from our enemy seems to point to
some kind of change"
"True,' assented DIR. Hutton, look
ing at the message in question. ''It's
unlike the others. II says that his re
ward is at hand He means either
that he intends to marry your daugh-
ter, or that he intends to demand mon
ey Of you for bringing her back-or
both"
eve shall soon know said Mrs.
Preble, with forced calmness. ITO
day we shall have another message,
have no doubt. What will it be ?'
The banker turned restlessly on his
sofa, and his face grew even paler.
'sWhatever it is, let it come - he
Anything can be borne |
better than this awful suspense. Let |
it come :"
As if his impatient words had pre-