Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-06
The Fate of Mr.. heatherby.

For somewhat longer than month, the
following advertisement has been standing
IN two OF the leading Chicago and ST.
Louis papers:
Mysterious disappearance-$5O0 re-
cember, Mr.. Jerome r. Leatherby left his
home on North Fifth street, Burlington,
for the purpose, as he stated of visiting
friends in the city. He has never since
been seen, and nothing heard of him, the
missing man is forty years of age, five
feet and seven inches high, with blue
eyes and light hair, close cut beard
was very particular in his dress; speaks
very deliberately and in a deep voice; is
short sighted and wears eyeglasses, and
has deep scar on the back Of the right
hand. $500 will be paid by his relatives
at Burlington Tor any information that
Will lead to ais recovery, if living, or the
recovery of his body, if dead. Here fol-
lows the address of the adviser.
At first we paid very littly attention
to this paragraph, presuming that it was
one OF those ordinary cases of disappearance
in which the disappeared will reappear
of his own accord, if his friends will only
have patience and wait until he has spent
all his money. But as time passed on
and the absent Mr.. Leatherbv did not
turn up, we became interested, examined
the description of the missing man more
carefully, and, after making few in
quiries, took the liberty of writing to the
journals to which reference has been
made, and ordering the discontinuance
at tbs advertisement without consulting
the interested parties, confident that we
could throw flood of light upon the
mystery, and knowing that the advertise
mcnt was hereafter useless.
On the evening of December Sd, the
date of Mr.. LeatherbYs sudden and
mysterious disappearance, for it is to
be remarked, in passing, that all mys-
= ferrous disappearances are sudden; no
one ever heard or read an article about
gradual and mysterious disappear
ance " of anybody; on the night of the
Sd of December, we were sitting in the
sanctum of the Halck-Eye when knock
at the door announced visitor, whom
we somewhat angrily called unon to
come, in 1t always anuoys an editor
to hear knock at the sanctum door.
The only people who knock are people
who have charity subscriptions, ball
tickets for sale, favors TO ask, original
poetry to publish, or advice to give
away We must confess that our anger
not only passed away, but that we felt
somewhat ashamed of it when the visitor
entered. As we recall his gentlemanly
address, his respectable appearance, the
mild blue eyes, the well-kept beard, the
deliberate, impressive utterance of our
visitor, we can seq the very man de-
scribed so infinitely In the advertisement,
which is herein placed before our
readers. Our interview with the stranger
was not long one, bat there are cir
cumstanCes connected with it which in
deibly stamped the image of its principal
actor in our memory, and lend an abid-
ing interest to what otherwise might
and indeed would, have been bat tire
some, ordinary, everyday incideng of a
newspaper Office.
After few moments cOnversatiod on
general topics, tie stranger drew from q
vest pocket small scrap, which appeared
to be newspaper clipping. Il have
here" he remarked, with the slightest
trace of hesitation, which was lost in the
air of eaGerness and interest whish al
once took possession of his manner. 81
have here probably one of the most inter
esting and remarkable little literary waits
that has ever come to nv notice. It j:
very old, and it's well-authenticated anti
guilty dating back as far IS 1869, anC
the remarkable prophecies which it makes
and most ofwhiCh have ia our own time
been so infinitely fulfilled, lend it al
air of interest that nothing else in Eng
fish literature can claim. 1t is calleC
Mother SYMPTOMS Prophecy and read
as follows:
I'm twice two-hundred years the Bear
The Crescent shall assail;
But if the Cock and Bull unite,
The Bear shall nOtpreyail
But look: in twice ten years"
Save by ourselves the office was desert
ed; the hour was late; the provocatior
was maddening; the temptation irresist
ible. 1t is not for.us to pry into myster
les Of that awful Sd of December. w,
can only say it is useless to advertise fo
the missing Mr.. Leatherby. We can only
say that no one can ever come forward t.
claim the reward, under either CT the con
ditions set forth in the advertisement. i
is our firm belief that Jerome r. Leather
by never completed his reading of "Moth
er SYMPTOMS Prophecy" 1t is our can
did opinion that deep and awful mys
terry surrounds the events which immedi
ateIy succeeded his interrupted reading
on the hideous night. Further than wha
we have already said, we will never say
We will only say to those who mourn fo
the missing man to waste. no time anc
money in trritless advertising, but g
,-Sichtzs4esd and administer upon the es
tate with neatness and dispatch. Their,
will be no. trouble about it. No man wht
comes into this office with copy Q
Mother Symptoms Prophecy" for publica
ton, will be very like ly TO interfere will
any settlement OF his estate that hi
heirs at law and their legal advisers ma,
see fit to make. Tnis is an uncertain
world, but nothing in it is more certain
than that that man will, at all times sub
sequent &c that date in his career, be
patient, quiet, peaceable citizen, neve
given 10 quoting poetry or talking poll
tics, and very much addicted to stayin
right where they lay him.