The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-12-08

I
Jessie.
| And tho next year it is
august g., 1856. Your Jessi
still lives.
And the next Il,
august 1857. She is in gooc
health.
And the next
"August9, 1858. She is well a
And the next c
..Auguss 9, 1859. I saw her yes.
terday. - t.-
And the next
august 9, 1860 She's growing
rapidly p
And the next
August 9, 1851 She continues te
do wellp
And the next ~
August 9, 1862. I've seen her
againl" las
And the next
August 9. 1868. She's becoming
a woman !" 5-'3 ~ l.
And the next
"August 9, 1864. Your child i.
thirteen % i'.3
And the next
"August 9, 1865 She's lovlier
than ever " '."E'i,'t''i' s- -
And the next H-s-'. e.1.-
august 9, 1866. She's really
charming ?'' i 49," @
And the next s..' -.
"Auyust 9, 1857 NY reward is
at hand!' boz $50 -
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.
..Invaria6ly by post" replied Mr..
Preble. Usually to the house, but
sometimes to the Office 7"
And you have never seen their au-
thor?"
Never /" 49,.
.,The last of them is dated, I see, a
year ago today III .s...-.. -l.
Yes, yes,'' faltered the banker.
land the time has come for another
message. This is the 9th of August
1861" s,l-asa .s-t =. ..l. ,.-.-
81 see," said DIR. Hutton. "And1
this is the secret of your terrible ex-
citementl You are expecting to re.
ceive to-day another of these strange
p .'' ssi;'-2 s's''''''a
There was brief silence. Mrs.
Preble's hand huttered in its task, and
her face grew very pale. The banker
breathed gaspingly. The physician
regarded them both in friendly SYM
pathy,
"We shall hear of her again to-day"
said Mr.. Preble land what will the
be r" .s.5
The mother averted her face. Her
brave heart faltered as that question
echoed in her soul.
"The writer of these letters is un-
the abductor of your
child p said DR.. Hutton "Have
you any suspicion as to his identity?"
"Not the slightest, said Mr. Pre-
Die. 1--WE have puzzled over the pro
olem for many years, but we cannot
guess who he Is.
Think" said the doctor. "Have |
You no enemy? 1 do not mean peo-
Die with whom you are not friendly
every stirring man has plenty of thsse
but downright enemyl is there |
no man you knew in the East who |
,ated you? NO one against whom |
Iou were called upon to testify-no !
,ne whom you possibly injured ?"
The banker shook his head. He
lad asked himself all these. questions
repeatedly. ,-r u. ~
"I have no such enemy DOCTOR"
,e answered with sincerity of voios and
manner. -i
'And Mrs. Preble ?" suggested the
loctor, turning to her. Have you'll
10 rejected suitor who might be re-
enough to .desolate your
lome 2? sssa F.. aa,r1 al "
'tNo," said the lady. al was mar
led early. Morton was my first low
# p' .r'-.
"This is very strange I" muttered
he doctor. you are not conscious
f having an enemy in the world, and
'et you have an enemy-e hidden foe
"a fiend in human form-whO is
working out against you fearful ha-
red And You have not the SLIGHTEST
uspicion as to whom he is ?" o., !.
"Not the slightest" declared the
anker." ;.... c..-:--.a
Not the slightestW' echoed Mrs.
'reble. MY husband had q step
rother who might have been capable
f this infamy but he is deadI'
"The handwriting is not familiar ?"
"No. 1t is merely rude scrawl, as
on see, said the banker, ''It sug- (
cess nothing-except that it is evil
emily 'disgnised!" yD. icf,.,i- Il
Again, there was a profound silence {
sour child us seventeen years old
ow," atlength murmured Mrss Pre-
lie voice trembling. "She, is on. the I
lreshold of womanhood. No doubt. {
uring all these years, she has yearned /.
n us, wherever she may be, as we
ave -yearned for herl" ......,
'tBut where she Z" asked the physici-,
land now his voice was broken by
is deep sympathy with the agonized 6
arents. .'W here can she be 7" r.e G
"Heaven only knows" answered {
le mother. Perhaps in San Francis ,
in some rude hut in the i
terror, wittIpsome obscure farmer. '
Id under a name that is not hers /
ink her abductor would have carried f
II to some lonely region of the in c
kha xyollnu, orA | N