Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-04
WHY liz DISAPPEARED.
rhs EXPLANATION or The SECOND
FLIGHT or THOMAS JACKSON


window Of a little house not far from ohis-
wick. The air was fragrant with the seen.
n, nev-mown hay and made 1t seem az IL
me spot was situated miles away IN some
remote quarter Of the country, instead OF
being. a. il really was, but cab-driVe nom
Charing Cross.
Neil Jackson was busying herself IN the
comfortable room on the grouhu-poosi nc.
snlful fingers arranging the pIeahl"ss
things and placing the tenhpeibe Piasv
Wafcr-cTesscs and golden cupes on pu.tsi
within handy reach of comfortable chair,
tb., sho prodaccd a crusty-looking loaf.
ssbieh she mt anon a wooden platter ana
s,aged for an instant admir1ngly at her
work. -.
81 Marv has only done the bacon Crisp, rs
,,sna btcs IN. tho dear old thing may come
-, tgbenevcr he hkesp And tripping
m abe stars with tho ightness OF a fairy
,be rspprd At the panels Of "a door upontbe
next ianding. .oa 80,
.roioentfy respectable man. by dint OF
horl work and undertaking integrity ne
had risen 70 a conhdcntia! post m the nrn.
- Nnsers Chest 4 Lead, tea brokers, OF
kt,nr,,g aue Mr., Jackson was widow
or and neither Nell nor her brother Bob
80 no 0GChtsst recOllocti oDs of their mo-
tI,r non was a clerk ia the general post
a-ro and he and his sister Nell had been
,.,c,,ht M by an aunt on their mo-
tb,4,s side until their father returned
n England from some employment
N which he had been engaged ABROAD,
mon he al once took tho house at CHS
,eick aud brought his children TO live with
him. He was Woodworking. painstaking
man and after time gave the highest sat
iafaction 20 his employers, who had az hrst
i.eual title chary Of engaging a man who
coud give them no references IRON any
mercantile firm within the sound OF bow
Tells As wears. however, iollcd Dy tney
congratulated themselves IN having
strained "a point by which they had Sc
,ured the services Of so diligent and re-
spOnsihle an emplOye.
A. had long been a habit of Mr.. Jackson's
Go rise early and have an hours work In hrs
garden before proceeding 10 business, ana
hi. daughter, therefore. was not much sur
urised when she received no answer 10 her
Iwice-repested summons.
"Papa. YOU naughty lazy papa" CRED
ehe. Have you oversight yoursolfI Get
gu or your breakfast will be quite colo.
No reply came and the girl paused for
Where can he be? said she. and then
.oftly openipg the door she entered the
-oom on tiptoe. but 90 bor extreme sur
prise tho bed-chamber was unoccupled.
d" Yon wicked papa" exclaimed the girl,
If Won do not put in an appearance al
once Won shall have no broakiast
Gently. Nell - called out Bob Jackson,
thrusting his head through the half opened
lo1r Of his bed.ro Z" What IL all tins
excitement about 2"
II can't find papa. He isn't in the. gar
don. / have lust been looking out OF the
window" replied Nell
Well. ! suppose | must have look
cound myself. Miss Careless" returned her
Irnthsr aud. issuing from his room. he
followed Ellen down the narrow strips OF
a,,nee which did duty for an entrance
hall. THE governors hat has gone" re-
marked Bob, but hCre il his umbrella IN
tho stand. and wet OF dry never knew INN
venture out without IT,"
ooh. dearin exclaimed Nell. turning
pale and sinking into chair. look BOD
She front door IS not closed
o. DO you think that lie usually goes out
bythe window 2" said Rob. Although know
ing his fathers methodical habit, he was
rood deal startled at Mr.. Jackson having
omitted 10 make the door secure.
without another word Bob and Nell pro-
eeedod 10 their fathers bedroom, and
ihc-e found that he had put on the clothes
le usually wore at business, but to their ex-
frene surprise and uneasiness hls purse
aud silver watch were on the dressing
the brother and sister exchanged looks
of unmitgated surprise.
Come. do not let us get uneasy" said
Fob. "Of course he has stepped out for
something. Let as go into the parlor ana
wait for him; be IS bound to DO back dl-
-cctly."
Men obeyed hor brothers wish, and the
brother aud sister waited long time for
tAejr fathers return. but MIR. Thomas Jack
e1u did not come back; in point OF TACT, ne
never appeared at the house IN Chiswick
again. =,
Week after week, aud month after month
passed away, and still the strange mystery
remainod unsolved. Not scrap OF paper
WAS discovered which gave the slightest
ellc TO the reason for Mr.. JacksOns sud
Don and unexpected disappearance. Every
lng appeared TO have been left IN the
most ps RECT order, and bank notes 10 the
tmouut OF Il 500 were discovered
in an old mahogany desk, which the chll-
lren remembered well as the receptacle
for rcceipted bills and other important
documents.
Mcsers Chest and Lead declared that
their book were IN the most perfect order,
lnp that not shilling had been expended
that could not be accounted Tor, and, IN
addition, they showed their sympathy 10
the bereavcd children by lending thor
active aid 70 the search after the lost man.
bob Jackson found it impossible 70 carry
on his duties at the post-oihce with so ter
rihle a weight OF anxiety crushing ms heart
and brain. 30 he resigned his clerkship
and directed his whole time to seeking for
the clue II the mystery, but IN vain. AT
last despair gained the mastery over hun.
and accepting a post in the ofhces or
Ncssrs. Chest y Lead he settled down as
quietly as his perturbcd spirit would allow
him 20 daily routine az work.
Not so. however, ms sister. The ldea
That her father would one day come back
became almost monomania with her. ana
night after night she would sit up to well
come the WandeTer on his return home.
OF IN the long watches of tho night, when
uot a soul was stirring, sho would creep
down stairs and noiselessly open the front
door under tho impression That she heard
Ter fathers footsteps IN the street. AZ the
months ghded on tho disappearance OF MIR.
Jackson WAS forgotten by the nelghbors
ana only remained fresh IN the hearts OF
hls souoWlnG children.
Ill.
To return TO the little house at CHS
wick. Upon the morning of the strange
disappearance Of its owner MIR. Jackson
va. aroused from his slumbers 10y the rays
of Che sun pecrlng through the window
golden glory. He got out of bed and be-
gan leisurcly 20 make his toilet. As soon
Us he was dressed ne threw open the WIN
dow and leaning his arms upon the win
dowsill drew in all the freshness OF the
morning air with a deep sense OF enjoy
meut. A. ho did so n man, who had for
come hours boon lurking about the neigh
borhood, stepped forward, and, looking
him full 10 the face. beckoned 10 him to
descend. Had the stranger possessed the
features and power Of the tabled Medusa
Nir. Jackson could not have betrayed
greater signs Of unfnistakablo terror.
hyid pallor oyerspread his features and
with a half-stifed groan he staggered back
rom the window.
The stranger made moro imperative
gesture, and Mr.. Jackson, collecting all his
pneracs, nodded his head in an afnrma-
hive Then, crossing the room, be took
something from a drawer, and creeping
aoalthily down stairs. seized his hat. and,
opening the front door. went out-wIthout
sven the prccaution of closing Il behind
him. In few minutes be was by the side
Of mis- pnwelcome visitor, aud taking his
arm, hurried him away from the vicinity