Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-12-01
august 9, 1856. Your Jesse still Rres."


WINGED you that your daughter was still
living"
Eyes, DOCTOR" said Mr PrebIe, land
every 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 vii
liam who took her away could contrive to
communicate with US every year since, and
always on q particular day-the anniver-
sary of that on which she was stolen
without our being able to discover who he
is And still greater wonder to me is
what can be his motive. 1t seems incred-
ible. If it was stated in novel many peo-
pie would not believe it. But truth is
stranger than fiction p
Mrs. Preble drew from her husbands
breast pocket his notebook, opened it to
the proper page; and presented it to the
physician. d -
Dr. Hutton adjusted his spectacles,
glanced over the page, and then slowly
read the group of entries aloud. The en-
try the first year was as follows .-
"August g, 1855. Jessie, ha, ha I Jessie %
And the next year it is
"August 9, 1856. Your Jessie still EUes!''
and the next .E.ez -..--.@
"August 9, 1s57. She is in good handsi''
And the next
august 8, 1858, She is ,ysU as evsr !''
August o, 1859, saso he, yesterday ="
And the next
"August 9, 1860. She's goooOing rapidly r.
And the next
"Ausust 9, 1861. She continues to do ,oeEJl''
/ EsAugust 9, 500. I'Ue seen her again.
And the next
"Apsgust 1853. She's becoming a ,yonon ~
And the next
''August 9, 1864. Tour child as thirteem!' '
And the next .s..a
"August 8, 1865. She's gove1ter than ere, p
"August 9. SOS. She's really cHar7aingy''
And the next
"August 8, scr. My re,oard is at hand I''
And what shall we get to-day?
The physician looked up and fixed his
thoughtful gaze upon the bereaved hus-
band and wife.
How did these messages come to you ?"
he demanded.
Invariably by post" replied Mr.. Pre-
bic. Usually to the house, but sometimes
to the office"
and you have never seen their author?"
The last of them is dated, I see, a year
ago to-day"
eyes, yes, faltered the banker, ''and the
time has come for another message. This
is the 9th of August. 1865"
81 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 brief silence. Mrs. Preble's
hand futtered in its task, and her face
grew very pale. The banker breathed
gasplngly. The physician regarded them
both IN friendly sympathy.
'We shall hear of her again to-day"
said Mr.. Preble; ''and what will the mess
age be ?"
The mother averted her face. Her brave
heart faltered as the question echoed in
her soul.
''The writer of these letters is unques-
tionably the abductor of your child p said
DR.. Hutton. Have you any suspicion as
to his IDENTIFY"
mot the Slightest said Mr.. Preble
eve have puzzled over the problem for
many years, but we cannot guess who he is"
''Think, said the doctor. Have you
no enemy? I do not mean people with
whom you are not friendly-every stirring
man has plenty of these-but downright
enemy Is there no man whom you knew
in the East who hated you? No one against
whom you were called upon to tes5ify-no
)
The banker shook his head. He had
asked himself all these questions repeat
eddy. -. ...
81 have no such an enemy, DOCTOR" he
answered, with sincerity of voice and man
ner.
"And Mrs Preble?' suggested the doc
tor, turning to her. 'sHave you no reject
ed sutton who might be revengeful enough
To "a
mo-" said the lady. II was married
early. Morton was my first lover
''Thls Is strange-veTy strange" mutter-
ed the doctor. You are not conscious OF
having an enemy in the world, and yet you
have an enemv-a hidden foe-a fiend in
human form-who is working out against
you a fearful hatred And you have not
the slightest suspicion as to whom he is?'
mot the slightest" declared the banker
Not the slightest" echoed Mrs. Preble
"My husband had a step-brother who
might have been capable of this infamy--
but he is dead p
''The handwriting is not familiar ?"
F'No. 1t is merely rude scrawl, as you
see, said the banker. 'tIt suggests moth
ing-except that it is evidently disguised"
Again there was a profound silence.
''Our child is seventeen years old now, "
at length murmured Mrs. PrebIe, her voice
trembling. t'She is in the threshold of
'womanhood. No doubt, daring all these
years, she has yearned for us, wherever she
may be, as we have yearned for her!'
But where is she?" asked the physician
and now his voice was broken by his
deep sympathy with the agonized parents.
''Where can she be?''
"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 a name
that is not hers! [ think her abductor
would have carried her to some lonely re-
gion of the interior, among the valleys and
mountains. Yet [ never see q young girl
in the streets without turning to look at her.
[ never hear a glrlish voice without listen
ing eagerly half fancying that it may prove
the voice of my lost Jessie!"
'Oh, plying heaven p' sighed Dr. Hut
ton, d shing food of tears from bis
eyes; ''will this long agony never be over?"
''We hope SO, and even believe SO, " an |
swered Mrs Preble, with the firmness of
an unfaltering trust in Gods mercy. "The
last message we received from our enc
my seems TIC point to some kind of
change"
True, assented DIR. Hutton, looking at
the message in question. sit is unlike the
others. 1t says that his reward is at hand
He means either that he intends to marry
your daughter, that he intends to de-
mand money of you for bringing her back
or both.
''We shall soon know" said Mrs Preble,
with forced calmnnss. To-day we shall |
have another message, no doubt. What
will it be?"
The banker turned restlessly on his sofa,
and his face grew even paler. 81
Whatever it is, let it come" he muir |
INJURED Anything can be borne better
than this suspense. Let it come. !
As if his impatient words had precipi- |
tated a crisis, step was heard on the walk |
at this moment, and a ring at the front door |
followed.
'sAnother message % breathed the bank
er.
A servant soon entered, bearing letter.
which he extended to Mr.. Preble:
F'The bearer is in the hall"