Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-11-30
double solicltude of friend and ply

1
our little Jessie was stolen from US.
al remember it, said the doctor,
softly. yet might she not have been
lost, Mr.. Preble? She went out to
play in the garden, if | remember
rightly, and was never seen by you
again. She might have strayed away
-"
$50 we thought for whole year,
doctor" interrupted he banker.-
We never dreamed that she had been
stolen. We searched everywhere tor
her, and offered immense rewards for
her recovery. | employed detectives,
but all to no purpose. When our lit
tie Jessie ran down the steps into the
flower garden" and he pointed to the !
front of the house, as if the earth
had opened aud swallowed her up, we
never saw her again
She must have found the gate
open, and wandered out" suggested
DR.. Hutton. " She might have stroll
ed down to the waters and been
drowned"
The banker fixed his burning eyes
upon the physicians face, and whis-
pered:
i 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, 1854. For year we thought
her dead. But on the anniversary Of
our loss we received a written mess
age concerning her."
"a messager cried DR.. Hutton,
starting.
ga mere scrawl--a single line in
hand evidently disguised" said the
banker. "Here it is"
He produced dingy scrap of pa
per from a drawer in the table, and
held it up to the view of the physician,
who read as follows:
august 8, 1855. Jessie, la, ha!
jessie
DR.. Hutton looked, with a puzzled
air, from the scrap of paper, which he
turned over and over, to the counte
nance of the banker.
Il can make nothing of this" he
declared. alt is merely date, with
I the name of your lost daughter. 1t
tells me nothing
"Nor did it US at first" said Mr..
Preble. Then that name and that
date, with the demon laugh connect
ing them, set US to thinking. A whole
year we agonized over the dreadful
o problem, and then we received anoth-
h err message, which you shall see.
He thrust a second slip of paper
= identical in shape and appearance
+ with the first, before the gaze Of DR.
- Hutton, who read it aloud:
,r august 8, 1856. Your Jessie still
Ercs."
o. The physician started, as if electri
fed.
a "Ah! this is something definite
- something decisive" he muttered. al
r, convinced you that your daughter wa.
nf still living"
ayes, DOCTOR" said Mr.. Preble
r. "and every anniversary of that da,
m has brought us some message. Tn
Disappearance of the child, mysteri
, GUS as it is, does not seem to me hal
To- so strange as that the villain VIII
took her away could contrive to CON
or municate with Us every year since
no and always on particular day-th
l1 anniversary Of that on which she wa
no stolen-without our being able to dis
cover who he is. And still create
- wouder to me is what can be his me
rI tive. 1t seems incredible. If it wa
in. stated in a novel many people woul
M not believe it. But truth is strange
than fiction "
nd Mrs. Preble drew from her hu
,ss bands breast pocket his note boo
opened it at the proper page, and pr
no scented it to the physician.
DR.. Hutton adjusted his spectacle
m. glanced over the page, and then sloy
in ly read the group of entries aloud
he The entry the first year is as follow;
august 9, 1855. Jessie, Ia, hG! Jessie
h. And the next year it is
l'' august g. 1856. Your Jessie still Eyes
iel And the next
IN August 9, 1857. She is in good hands
And the next
ok august 9, 1858. She is CeH as eger y'
in And the next
zen august 9, 1859. Isa,o her yesterday l'
=. And the next
W august 8, 1860. She's grolCjng rapidly
ice And the next
hat august 9, 1861. She continues to do WeU
a, And the next
w. August 9, 1862. Pre- seen her again r'
ore And the next
md "August9, 1868. She's Jecominga Conlan
law And the next
Z august 8, 1864. Your child Is thirteen
vi And the next
august 9, 1865. Shes loreljer than eccr
nm And the next
~ august 9, 1866. She's really charming
iUi And the next
august g. 1857. My reCard is at hand
are And what shall we get today!
Lps' The physician looked up and fix,
his thoughtful gaze upon the bereav,
oor husband and wife.
ent allow did these messages come
ior you p he demanded.
red Invariably by post" replied N
Preble. Usually to the house, b
Ire, sometimes to the Office"
III "And you have never seen Their &
Of thor ?"
lbe- "Neverw
sat "The last of them is dated, see
cart year ago todayW
the Eyes, yes" faltered the bank
and "and the time has come for anoth
and message. This is the 9th of Augu
1857
fter 81 sec" said DR.. Hutton. "And Il
eh, is the secret of your terrible excl
our ment You are expecting to recei
no today another of these strange m
its sages y
you There was a brief silence. NJ
Preble's hand huttered in its task, a
the her face grew very pale. The bal
eep er breathed gaspiugly. The ply
AXE clan regarded them both in frienC
lent sympathy.
am 1--WE shall hear Of her again toda
my said Mr.. Preble; "and what will
ming message be ?"
wen The mother averted her face. [
brave heart faltered as that quest