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

Ny husband had step brother who might
have been capable of this intamy-but he Is
dead y
The handwriting is not familiar?''
No. 1t Is merely 4 rude scrawi, as you
see, said the banker 1t suggests moth
lng-except that it Is evidently disguised -
Again there was profound silene
Our chid Is now seventeen years old, ."
at length murmured Mrs. Pre5le, her voice
trembling. She Is on the threshold cf
womabhood- No doubt. during al these
years, she has yearnei for Us, wherever she
may be, a We have year ned for her
But where Is she p asked the phys ician
and now his voice was broken BY hie deep
sympathy with the agoHized parents. w here
can she be 2''
Heaven only knows answered the
mother. Perhaps IN San Francisco-per-
haps in some rude hut in the interior. with
some obscure farmer, and under q name that
is not hers | think her sbductoT would
have carried her TO some lonely region OF
the interior, among the valleys and noun
tains. Yet l never see young glrl in the
streets without turning to look al her. |
never hear giFlish voice without listening
eagerly, half tancying that it may prove to
be the voice of my lost jessie
''Oh. pitying heaven sighed DR.. Hat
ton. dashing food OF tears from his eyes.
viii this long agony never be over?'
We hope so, aud even beiieTe so, an
swerod Mrs. Preble, with the frIpness of
An unialterug trust In God mercy. The
last message We received from our enemy
seems to point to some kind OF change
True, asscnted DR.. Hutton, looking at
the message in question. 1T Is unlike i;e
o. hers Ii says that his reward is 4, hand.
He means either that he intends 20 marry
your daughter. or that he intends to de-
IIand money Of you for bringing her back
or both"
I'VE shall soon know" said Mrs Preble,
with forced ca!mness. To day We shall!
have smother message, no doubt. " hat
will it be
The banker turned restlcssly on his sofa,
and his face grew even paler.
Whatever 1t i, let it come - he rnur
INJURED. Anything can De borne better
than this awful suspense. Let 1t come
A. if his impatient words had precipita-
ted crisis, step was heard on the walk
a; this moment, and ring 4; the front door
followed.
Another message breathed the bank
s. servant soon entered, bearing letter,
wh;ce he extended to Mr. Preb.e. saying;
The tearer Is IN the hall.
With an eager gaze, the banker glanced
at the superscriptiOn OF the mlsslye.
II is from h.m r he taltered.
He tore the envelope open.
Ii contained slip ol paper, Oh well known
shape and appearance, upon which was
scrawle6 a single line. IN IN equally well
known Handwriting, which the banker e1-
hibited 10 his wife and the physician.
This line was as follows.
August 9. lsgS. II SIC sciH oGH!
) shock OF wonder and horror shook the
three simultaneously.
will call! cried Mr.. PreI'e. starting TO
his f.et and elariug wildly arouni.
Il coming here 2 cried Mrs. Pre6!e, al
50 arising.
1t seems 50, ;" said DR. Hutton, his eyes
again reyerting TO the message. de Will
be here at six clock, and see 1t Is six al
Even as he spoke, the clocl, On the man
tel piece commenced striking the appointed
hour, and at that instant heavy footsteps re
sounded in the hall, approaching the hara-
~.
1T is her cried the doctor. also arising.
A. the last s;roke Of the hour resounded.
the door leading from the hall again opened.
One long horriiel glance cast the bank
eT ana his Vile III that direction; anu ineH
she iel! heavily to the floor.
. Her senses had lett her. The above ne
publish as a specimen chapter; but the
continuation of this story viii be found only
in the n Y Ledger. Ask for the number
dated December 4th, which can be had al
any news Office or bookstore. If you are
not within reach of a news Office, you can
have the Ledger mailed to you for one year
by sending three dolrs to Robert Bonner,
publisher. lS2 William street, New ork.
The Ledger pays more for original contrlhu
tions than any other periodical IN the world
l. viii publish none but the very, very best
Is moral tone Is the purest, and its circuia-
ton the largest Every body y ho takes 1t
i happier for having it. Leon Lewis. Mrs.
Harriet Lewis, Mrs Sou;hworth, Mr.. Cobb,
Professor Peck, Mary Kyie Dallas, Fanny
Fern and Mrs. Dupuy viii write only for the
Ledger hereafter.
Mr.. Bonner. like other leading publish
ers. might issue three or FIVE papers and
magazines; but he prefers to concentrate
all his energies upon one, and in that way
make it the best. One Dexter is worth
more than three or FIVE ordinary horses
One science only can one genius fit
So vast is art. SO narrow human wit.