Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-11-26
"Ah, yes" said the doclor. 81 remem

,' '0'' ae'oeh
"Yes, it's another Of those terrible
days." cried the banker in a hollow whis.
per. "Sit down, doctor, and will tell
you the whole story. can think of moth
irg else to-day, and am almost Wild with
apprehension and anxiety. Sit down.
DR.. Hutton drew up chair and seated
himself, his face expressing the double 20.
licitude of friend and physician.
You knew us fourteen years ago, doctor,
said Mr.. Preble. "We lived then where
We do now, in cottage on the site of this
great mansion. There were but three OF
US Helen and l, and our three-year old
Jessie. And it was fourteen years ago to.
day that our little Jessie was stolen from
us.''
Il remember it," said the doctor softly.
" Yet might she not have been lost, Mr..
Preble? She went cut to play in the gar.
den, if remember rightly, and was never
seen by you again. She might have stray
ed away"
$50 we thought for whole year, doctor, y
interrupted the banker. "Wene YER dream
ed that she had been stolen. We searched
everywhere for her, and offered immense
rewards for her recovery. employed de-
tectives, but all to no purpose. When our
little Jessie ran down the steps into that
flower garden" and he pointed to the front
of the house, "as if the earth had opened
and swallowed her up, We never saw her
again."
"She must have found the gate open,
and wandered out" suggested DR.. Hutton.
"She might have strolled down to the wa.
ters and been drowned"
The banker fixed his burning eyes upon
the physicians face, and whispered
~ said we never saw the poor child
again. She was lost on the 9th of August,
1854. For year we thought her dead.
But on the anniversary of our loss We re-
ceived written message concerning her" J"
"a message!" cried DR.. Hutton starting
"a mere scrawl-a single line in a
hand evidently disguised said the banker
"Here it 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 ., 1855. Jessie, Ao, ha! Jessie"
DR.. Hutton, looked with a puzzled air
from the scrap of paper, which he turned
over and over, to the countenance of the
banker.
81 can make nothing of this" he de-
clared. 1t is merely date, with the
name of your lost daughter. 1t tells me
nothing"
"Nor did it US, at first" said Mr.. Preblc
"Then that name and that date, with the
demon laugh connecting them, set US to
thinking. A whole year we agonized ovel
the dreadful problem, and then we received
another message, which you shall see."
He thrust a second slip of paper, identic
al in shape and appearance with the first
before the gaze of DR.. Hutton, who read i
aloud:
The physician started, as if electrified.
"Ah this is something defnite-some
thing decisive" he muttered. at con
vinced you that your daughter was still
living"
"Yes, DOCTOR" said Mr.. Preble, "and ev
cry anniversary of that day has brought u
some message. The disappearance Of tn
child, mysterious as it is, does lot seem t
me half so strange as that the villain who
took her away could contrive to communi
cate with us every year since, and alway
on a particular day-the anniversary c
that on which she was stolen without on
being able to discover who he is. And
still greater wonder 20 me is what can b
his m tive. 1t seems incredible. If it wa
stated in novel many people would nc
believe it. But truth is stranger than fo
ton"
Mrs. Preble drew from her husband
breast-pocket his notebook, opened it
the proper page, and presented it to tn
| physician.
DR.. Hutton adjusted his spectacles
glanced over the page, and then slowl
read the group of entries aloud. The en-
try the first year is as follows:
august 8, 1855. Jessie, Aa, ha Jsssie!"
| And the next year it is
august 9, 1856. Your Jessie still liues."
| And the next
"August ., 1857. She is in good hands"
And the next
august 9, 1858. She is reN as erer ~
| And the next
| august 9, 1859. Isaw her yesterddy"
And the next
august 9, 1860. She's growi"g rapidly"
| And the next
august 9, 1861. She continues to do cell !
| And the next
august 9, 1862. Ire seen her again -
| And the next
"August g. 1863. She's becoming coman
| And the next
"August 9, 1864 Your child is iteen ?"
| And the next
| "Aueust 8, 1865 She's loulier than ever -
| And the next
| "August 9, 1856. She's really charming !"
And last year il is
"August 9, 1867. My re~ard is at hand =
And what shall we get to-day!
The physician looked up and fixed hi
thoughtful gaze upon the bereaved husban
and wife.
"How did these messages come to you
be demanded.
"Inyariably by post replied Mr.. Preblt
"Usually to the house, but sometimes to tn
office y
"And you have never seen their author?
"Never!
"The last of them is dated, see, yea
ago today
"Yes, YES" faltered the banker, can
the time has come for another message
| This is the 9th of August, lS6Sr'
al see,n said DR.. Hutton. "And this
the secret of your terrible excitement! Yo
are expecting to receive to-day another c
these strange messages!'
There was a brief silence. Mrs. Preble'
hand huttered in its task, and her fac
grew very pale. The banker breathe
gaspingly. The physician regarded ther
both with friendly sympathy.
| ave shall hear of her again to-day,
said Mr.. Preble, "and what will the mes
The mother averted her face. Her brav
heart faltered as that question echoed i
her soul.
| "The writer Of these letters is unqaes
tionably the abductor Of your child J. sal
Or. Hutton. "Haye you any suspicion {
his IDENTIFY
"Not the slightest" said Mr.: Preble
"We have puzzled over the problem 10
many years. but we cannot guess who h
| is"
"Think," said the doctor. "Have yo
no enemy? | do not mean people wit
whom YOU are not friendiy-every stirrinI
man has plenty Of these-but downright
enemy!-Is there no man whom you kne'
in the East who hated you? No on
against whom you were called to testify
no one whom you possibly injured ~
The banker shook his head. He ha
asked himself all these questions repeat
edly.