, 1891-01-28
WHY HE DISAPPEARED.

1t was a bright summer morning, and
the rays Of the sun were pouring into the
window Of a little house not far from CHS
wick The air was fragrant with the
scent Of new mown hay, and made It seem
as if the spot was situated miles away in
some remote quarter Of the country, in.
stead Of being, as it really was, but a cab
drive from ChHring Cross.
Nell jackson was busying herself in the
comfortable room on the ground floor. her
skillful fingers arranging the breakfast
things and placing the tempting plate Of
watercrcSsss and golden cubes OF butter
within handy reach OF comfortable chair,
then sho produced a crusty looking loaf,
which she put upon a wooden platter, and
Gazed for an instant a~dmiriugly at her
work
There said she, olapping her hands,
IF Mary has only done the bacon crisp, AS
pap likes it, the dear old thing may come
down whenever he likes" And tripping
up the stairs with the lightness Of a fairy
she raped at the panels OF a door upon
the next landing
Thomas jackson was what Is termed an
emiuently respectable man. BY dint Of
hard work and undertaking integrity he
had risen TO a confidential post in the firm
Of Messrs. Chest 81 Lead. tea brokers, Of
Mincing lane. Mr. Jackson was a widower.
and neither Nell nor her brother Bob had
the slightest recollection Of their mother
Bob was a clerk In the general postonice,
and be and his sister Nell had been brought
up by an Hunt on their mothers side until
their father returned to England from
some employment in which he had been
engaged abroad, when he at once took the
house at Chiswick and brought his chill
dren TO live with him. He was a hard
working, p~Ainstaking man, and after a
time gave the highest satisfaction TO his
employers, who had at first been a little
ehary Of engaging a man who coul1 give
them no references from any mercantile
firm within the sound OF Bowbells As
years, however, rolled by they cnngratu-
lated themselves In having strained a point
by which they had secured the services Of
SO diligent and responsible an employe.
II had long been a habit OF Mr.. Jackson
to rise early and have an hours work in
his garden before proceeding TO business,
add his daughter therefore was not much
surprised when she received no answer 20
her twice repeated IN
Papa, you naughty, lazy papa" crieds
she. "HRve you oversight yourself, Get
up, or your breakfast will be quite cold"
No reply came, and the girl paused for a
moment
Where can be be-" said she. and then
softly opening the door she entered the
room on tiptoe, but to her extreme surprise
the bedchnmber was unoccupicd
you wicked papar' exclaimed the girl,
'f you do not put in an appearance at
once yoB shall hAve no breakfast"
Gently. Nell" called out Bob jackson,
thrustinE his head through the half opened
door Of his bedroom. What is all this OK
element Aboutf"
Il cant find papa. He isn't I'm the gar
den. ] have just been looking out OF the
window" replied Nell
well, suppose | must have n look
round myself, Miss Careless, " returned her
brother, and issuing from his room he FOL
lowed Ellen down the narrow strip OF
passage which did duty for an entrance
hall The governors hat has gone" re
marked Bob, but here Is his umbrella in
the stand, and wet or dry | never knew
him TO venture out without it,"
"Oh, dear" exclaimed Nell, turning pale
and sinking into "a chair. Look, Bob, tho
front door Is not closed"
do you think he usually goes out by
tho Window" said Bob. although, know
ing his fathers methodical habit, he was n
good deal startled at Mr.. jackson having
omitted to make the door secure.
Without another word, Bob and Nell
proceeded to their Nather's bedroom, and
there found that he had put on the clothes
be usually wore at business, but, TO their
extreme surprise and un~eAsineEs, his purse
and silver watch were on the dressing
table.
The brother and sister exchanged looks
OF unmitigatcd surprise.
Come, do not let us get uneasy" said
Bob. "Of course he has stepped out for
something, let us 90 into the psrlor and
wait for him; he is bound to DO back di
rectly,"
Nell obeycd her brothers. wish, and the
brother and sister waited a long time for
their fathers return, but Mr.. Thomas
jackson did not come back; in point OF
fact, he never appeared at the house in
Chiswick agnin.
Week after week n month after
month passed away. and still the strange
mystery remained unsolved. Not a scrap
Of paper wCs discovered which gave the
slightest clew to the reason for Mr.. Jack
sons sudden and unexpected disappear
ance. Everything appeared TO have been
left In the most perfect order. and bank
notes to the amount Of e1, 500 were disccv.
cred in an old mahogany desk, which the
children remembered well as the receptacle
for receipted bills and other important
documents.
Messrs Chest & Lead declared that
their books were In the most perfect order,
u AhdA not a sAlllluE AAA ucsu expended
that could not be accounted for, aud in ad.
dition they showed their sympathy to the
bereAyed children by lending their active
aid 70 the search after the lost man. Bob
jackson found it impossible TO carry on bis
duties at the postonice with 80 terrible a
weight Of anxiety crushing his heart and
brain, so be resigned his clerkship. and d
rected his whole time 70 seeking Tor the
clos Of the mystery. but in vain. At last
despair gained the mastery over him, and
accepting a post in the offices OF Messrs.
Chest q Lead. he settled down rs quietly
as his ]perturbed spirit would allow him TO
daily routine Of work.
Not so. however, his sister. The idea
that her father would one day come hack
became almost u m~ououania with her, and
night after night she would sit up 10 vel
come the wAudeger pou his return home.
Oft in the long watches Of the night, when
not a soul WAS stirring she would creep
down stairs and noizelessly Drcu the front
door under the impression that she hyHu
her fathers f0Ntst-vs ir t1r0 st-rst hsf'
A. +. ROeiel. druggist, desires 10 IL
fovm n. pnlI3. H. IA. 3z ,.nn. G. tka