Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-11-24

60 We thought !oT Hhoie y 5eaE,uoCtcf;
interrupted the banker. We never dream
ed of her being stolen. We searched ev-
erywhere TOR her, and offered immense re-
wards for her recovery | employed detec-
tIves, 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 swallow
ed 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 waters and
been drowned. P"
The banker fixed his burning eyes upon
the physicians face, and vi isrered:
Il said We never saw the poor child again
| did not say we had not heard of her. She
was lost on the 9Th Of August, 1894. For
a year we thought her dead But on The
anniversary Of our loss We received written
message concerning her.
a message cried DR.. Hutton.
"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:
Angus, 9, 1885. Jessie, Ea. Ia! Jsssie -
Dr. Hutton looked, with a puzzled air,
from the scrap Of paper, which he turned
over and over, to the countenance OF the
banker.
Il can make nothing of this" he declar
ed. 1t is merely date, with the name of
your lost daughter Il tells ne nothing
''Ncr did it US. at first said Mr. Probe.
Then that name and that date, with the
demon laugh connecting them, set Us to
thinking A whole year We ag0uized over
the dreadful problem, and then we recelFed
another message, which ycu shall see
He thrust second slip Of paper, Identical
in shape and appearance with the llrst, be
fore the gaze OF DIR. Hutton, Aho read 1t
aloud:
"August 1883 YOH,' jessie still hcss-''
The physician started az if electrified
"Ah! this is something defniie-some-
thing decisive" he muttered. 1T conVIne.,
ed Won that Your daughter WAS still living.
Yes. doctor said Mr. Preble, "and ev-
cry anniversary of that day has brought US
some message. The disappearance OF the
child, mysterious as it Is, does not seem to
me half so strange as that the villain who
took her away could contriye to communl-
cate 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 he Is. And still great
er wonder to me Is what can be the motive.
1t seems incredible. If it was stated in
novel many people would not believe 1t. But
truth is stranger than fiction.
Mrs. Preble drew from her husband
breast pocket his notebook, opened II at
the proper page, and presented It to the
physician.
Dr. Hutton adjnsted his spertac'es, giano
cd over the page, ami then slowly reaa the
grogn Of entries a.oud. The entry the hrst
= -
August 9, 1855. Jessie, IN, la Jessie -
An the next 1t IS
August Q. 1886. Your Jessie still Iras. =
.Aasnst 9Is57. She Is IN goodLaads. "
And the next
August 9 1855. She is as rgeH as erer. .
Anl the next >.
August 9, 1859. Isar7 her yesterday, .
August 9, 1850. Size sgror1iag rapidly, ~
And the next- ~.
And the next >,
August 9, 1862, Ire seen her again. y
--''- August 9, 1868, She's becoming a 'oo-
man.
49, "husast t1lg 9,ls64. Toar ohId is thirteen. -
And the next =,
August 1855. She's lorljer than ersr.
And the next :,
And the next
And what shall we get to day!
The physician looked mp and liked his
thoughtful gaze upon the beieayed husband
and wife. o..
How did these messages come to you?
he demanded. >. NJ D,,.
Usually to the house, but sometimes tH
the Office o.,
The last Of them is dated, I see, year
Yes, YES, y fal,ered the banker, and the
time has come for another message. ms
Is the 9th of August. 1868
II see said DIR. Hutton. And this Is
the secret of YOUR terrible excitement You
are expecting to receive to day another Of
these strange messages;
There was i,rief silence. Mrs. Preble' s
hand Anttered in its task, aud her face grew
very pale. The banker breathed gasplDgiy
The physician regarded both In friendly
I'VE shall hear of her again today ;
and what will the message be! said DIR.
The mother averted her face. Her brave
hear; faltered as that questiun echoed IN her
soul.
s.The writer of these letters i unquestion-
ably the abductor of your child? Have you
sny suspicion as to his Identify said Dr.
/ Hutton.
Not the slightest We have puzzled
over the problem for many years, bat we
cannot guess who he Is, said MIR; Preb!e-
Think, said the doctor. Have you
no enemy? / do not mean people with whom
YOU are not friendly-cvery stirring man has
/ nIentv of these-but a downright enemy
! Is there no man whom you knew IN the East
who hated you? No one whom you were
called upon to testify-Eo one wnom you
possibly injured? ?? II -
The banker shook his head lie had 1;
asked himself all these questions rePe1,eaiy t h
Il have no such enemy, doctor, he an
swered with sincerity of voice and manner
And Mrs. Preble? suggested me doe,
tor. turning to her Have you no rejected
suitor who might be reyengeful enough to
No" said the lady. Il was married
.arly Morton was my first lover
This Is srrange-very strange mutterec
/ l. l...,- s.NnT are not conscious OF nav