San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-07
WHY HE DISAPPEARED.

WINDOW OF ilUtlc mousse nOC lar from SnlS-
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 cab
drive from Charing 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
watercresses and golden cubes of butter
within handy reach of comfortable chair;
then she produced crusty looking loaf,
which she put upon a wooden platter, and
gaZed for an instant admiringly at her
work.
There said she, clapping her hands,
''if Mary has only done the bacon crisp, as
papa 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 door upon
the next landing.
Thomas jackson was what is termed an
eminently respectable man. By dint of
hard work and undertaking integrity he
had risen to a confidential post in the firm
of Messrs. Chest g. Lead, tea brokers, of
MIncing lane. Mr.. Jackson was widower,
and neither Nell nor her brother Bob had
the slightest recollection of their mother.
Bob was clerk in the general postoffice,
and he and his sister Nell had been brought
up by an aunt 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, painstaking man, and after a
time gave the highest satisfaction to his
employers, who had at first been little
chary of engaging a man who could give
them no references from any mercantile
firm within the sound of Bowbells AS
years, however, rolled by they congratu-
lated themselves in having strained point
by which they had secured the services of
so diligent and responsible an employe.
1t had long been habit of Mr. jackson
to rise early and have an hours work in
his garden before proceeding to business,
and his daughter therefore was not much
surprised when she received no answer to
her twice repeated summons.
Papa, you naughty, lazy papa" cried
she, Have you oversight yourself? Get
up, or your breakfast will be quite cold"
No reply came, and the girl paused for a
moment.
Where can he be-" said she, and then
softly opening the door she tered the
room on tiptoe, but TO her eXtrrn,c surprise
the bedchamber was unOCcupcd
You wicked papar' exclaimed the girl,
If you do not put in an appearance at
once you shall have no breakfast"
"IaDtlv Nal1 - cnlla1 C,,r TocI-pn,
thrusting his head through the haIf opened
door of his bedroom. What is all this ex
element about?"
Il can't find papa. He isn't in the gar
den, ! have just been looking out of the
window" replied Nell.
We'll, | suppose | must have 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 the
front door is not closed"
DO you think he usually goes out by
the Window" said Bob. although, know
ing his fathers methodical habit, he was
good deal startled az Mr.. Jackson having
omitted to make the door secure.
Without another word, Bob and Nell
proceeded to their fathers bedroom, and
there found that he had put on the clothes
he usually wore at business, but, to their
extreme surprise and uneasiness, his purse
and silver watch were on the dressing
table
The brother and sister exchanged looks
of unmitigated surprise.
Come, do not let us get uneasy" said
Bob "Of course he has stepped out for
something. Let us go into the parlor and
wait for him; he is bound to he back di-
rectly"
Nell obeyed her brothers wish, and the
brother and sister waited Il 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 again
Week after week anil month after
month passed away, and still the strange
mystery remained ursOlved. Not scrap
of paper was 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 &, 800 were discov-
cred in an old mahogany desk, which the
children remembered well as the receptacle
ir receipteNi bills and othe. important
documents.
Messrs. Chest 81 Lead declared that
their books were in the most perfect order,
and that not'a shilling had been expended
that could not be accounted for, and in ad-
dition they showed their sympathy to the
bereaved children by lending their active
aid to the search after the lost man. Bob |
jackson found it impossible to carry on his