The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-22


AUGUST ., 1855. Jessie, hd, ha Jessie ~
And the next year ii is
"AUGUsT O. 1856. Your Jessie still liUeS ~
And the next
AUGUST o. 1857. She is in good handsr'
And the next
AUGUST 0, 1858. she is ,ceH as ece,, !"
And the next
"AUGUsT 8, 1859. saw her yesterdayr
Aud the next
AUGUST 0, 1860. She's gro,ring rapidB"
And the next
AUGUST ., 1861. She continues to do ,cell :"
And the next
AUGUST o. 1862. Toe seen her again ~
And the next
AUGUST ., 1868. She's becoming ,ooD,an,"
And the next
AUGUST 9, 1864. Your child is thirteen -
And the next
AUGUST 0, 1865. She's loUelter than ere,' :"
And the next
AUGUST 9, 1866 She's really CidrmiHg!"
And last year it is
"AUGUsT 0, 1867. My re,card is at hand ~
And what shall we get to-day?
The physician looked up and fixed his thought
full gaze upon the bereaved husband and wife.
'Ilow did these messages come to you 2" he
demanded.
Invariably by post" replied Mr.. Prebe
Casually to the house, but sometimes to the
ofllce!'
And you have never seen their outhor?"
The last of them is dated, see, year ago
yes yes" faltercd the banker, ''and the
time has come for another message. This is the
9th of August, 1868"
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 a brief silence. Mrs. Prebe's hand
1uttercd in its task, and her face grew very
| pale. The banker breathed gaspingly. The
| physician regarded them both in friendly SYM
| pathy.
1--WE shall hear of her again to-day" said Mr.
| Preble; "and what will the message be?'
The mother averted her face Her brave
| heart faltered us that question echoed in her
| soul.
| the abductor of your child!' said DR.. Hutton
| ''Have you any suspicion as to his IDENTIFY
Not the slightest" said Mr.. Preble. "We
have puzzled over the problem, ;, for many years,
Think" said the doctor. '1lave you no
enemy? 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 testify-no one whom you possibly in
| jured!"
| The banker shook his head. He had asked
| himself all these questions repeatedly.
81 have no such enemy, doctor" he answered,
with sincerity of voice, and manner,
| "And Mrs. Preble?" suggested the doctor,
| turning to her. "Have you no rejected suitor
who might be revengeful enough to desolate
| your homer"
=, mo, said the lady. 81 was married early.
| Morton was my first lover"
''This is strange-very strange!" muttered
the doctor. 'You are not conscious of having
an enemy in the world, and yet you have an
enemy-a hidden foe-a fend in human form
who is working out against you fearful hatred
And you have not the slightest suspicion as to
| whom he Isl"
"Not the slightest" declared the banker
| ''Not the slightest !" echoed Mrs. Preble. my
| Inns n Stnn-brOthpr who mipht have
been capable of this infamy--but he is dead!'
'The handwriting is not familiar" ?"
mo. 1t is merely rude scrawl, as you see, ="
said the banker. sit suggests nothing-eXcept
that it is evidently disguised"
| Again there was profound silence.
''Our child is seventeen years old now," at
length murmured Mrs; Preble, her voice trem-
| bling. "She is on the threshold of womanhood.
No doubt, during all these years, she has yearned
for us, wherever she may be- as we have yearned
for her!"
''But where is she?" asked the physcian-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-perhaps in some
rude hut in the INTERIOR with some obscure
farmer, and under a name that is not hers l
think her abductor would have carried her to
some lonely region of the Interior among the
valleys and mountains. Yet never see young
girl in the streets without turning to look at
} her. never hear girlish voice without listen
ing eagerly half tancying that 1t may prove the
voice of my lost Jessie!"
"Oh, plying heaven" sighed Dr. Hutton
dashing flood of tears from his eyes. "Wil
this long agony never be oyer!"
''We hope SO, and even believe so" answered
Mrs. Preble; with the firmness OF an unfalterine
: trust in Gods mercy "The last message We
} received from our enemy seems to point to some
kind of a change"
''True," assented DR.. Hutton, looking at the
message in question. SIT is unlike the others
1t says that his reward is ut hand He means
either that he intends TO marry your daughter
or that he intends to demand money of you fol
bringing her back-or BOTH"
'TWe shall soon know" said Mrs. Preble, will
forced calmness. "To-day we shall have an
other message, no doubt. What will it be?"
The banker turned restlessy on his sofa, an(
his face grew even paler.
, ''Whatever it is, let it come !" he murmued
| "Anything can be borne better than this awfu
suspense. Let it come !"
9 AS if his impatient words had precipitated
| crisis step was heard on the walk at thi
| moment and ring at the front door followe
5 "Another message y breathed the banker.
A servant soon entered bearing a letter, ,Whlcl
( he extended to Mr.. Preble, saying;-
: ''The bearer is in the hall
With an eager gaze the banker glanced at th
superscription of the missiye.
4 'It is from hi,nr he faltered.
C He tore the envelope open
1t contained a slip of paper, OF well-know
' q single line in an equally well-known hanc
writing which the banker exhibited TO MS VII
and the physician.
n This line was follows;--
d AUGUST 0, 1868. Al SIR ioiU eaU!'
shock OF wonder and horror shook the thre
| simultaneously.