Evening journal., 1905-05-29
MY KIDNAPPING
IorleInal1

DAt udN WdtNuluE Il houotulhlN AnVNt
a desk She was about to put It back
in its place when noticed the corner
Of an envelope sticking out from the
back OF the desk. 1 took hold Of it
and drew 1t out, It was addressed to
my mother. had never been opened, and
the post mark bore a date OF twelve
years before I concluded to open It.
1t read.
II you are convinced. write me definitely
by return mail. After Saturday It will be
too late.
1t was signed with a single letter,
either an NJ. or a w, could not be
certain which.
1 placed the note in one Of the little
drawers in the upper part of the desk.
My mother was absent at the time, and
l intended to call her attention to It on
her return, but forgot all about It.
One evening l visited a friend who
lived a few doors from our house and,
on taking my leave. started to 20
home alone. A carriage was standing |
by the curb. and two men were loiter-
ing on the sidewalk. AS I passed they /
approached me, and almost before I
knew what had happened they had
lifted me Off my feet and put me in
the carriage. Then they both got in and
shut the door, and the coachman drove
away.
I begged them with tears to tell me
what it all meant and what they were
going to do with me- One of them as
sured me that no harm would come to
me and had best calm myself. After
driving some distance they entered
large grounds and stopped under the
porte cochere Of a dwelling. The door
OF the house opened, and a matronly
woman came out, put her arm about
me with a pleasant smile and led me In
10 the house and up into bedroom,
where she said would spend the night.
1 questioned her, but she gave me no
information, though she assured me
that no harm would come to me.
learned something, however from over
hearing a telephone message, the in
strument being fixed in the hail. One
( Of the men who had kidnapped me was
talking.
"She's here"
A pause.
"No. IN guarantee that. Not hu-
man being except those concerned
knows where she is or can track her"
A pause.
"She behaves very well, though, OF
course, she's pretty badly cut up"
The man listened to something more,
then hung up the receiver and went
downstairs. A few minutes later
heard the carriage drive away.
will not attempt to describe my
feelings, which were rather puzzled
than otherwise, for l was so kindly
treated that II was impossible to con-
tinue to be frightened. The motherly
woman brought me a nightdress and
asked me II I'd like any supper. She
had no fear Of my getting out through
the window, for l was on the third
Z story.
In the morning after breakfast l was
directed to 60 into the library. gen
tleman was waiting for me who as
approached regarded me with a face
on which sadness had been stamped
but which now lighted up with kind
ness, love, admiration.
Marjorie my child. what a splendid
girl you arc"
! l drew back, astonshed. "who are
7 you?' asked.
"Your father"
E "AIy father Is not living"
"Has any one ever told you that h
Is deadf'
could not remember that any on'
, had ever said so.
Marjorie" he continued, drawing
, me to him, Il am really your father
= Your mother has had you long enough
at least it is now my turn for awhile
! We shall sail this afternoon for Eu
rope"
was convinced that he was reall.
= my father both by his bearing towar'
me and picture had seen OF him.
! temporized with him, neither assentin
4 nor dissenting. We were still talking tc
gether when several men forced thei
way into the house, and soon after m
mother drove up In a carriage. Sh
8 found me with my father. Selling he
T. by the hand. | endeavOred to draw be
T. TO him, begging them to be reconciled
q impossible" said my father.
gave your mother a last opportunit
: more than ten years ago"
"You did not" said my mother, tear
: starting TO her eyes. "You left m
u without word"
e "I wrote to you that II you were COZ
i vinced your suspicious Of my inhdelit
II were unfounded to write me With
v a given time. After that it would B
4 too late"
The words recalled the letter ha
found.
"You wrote no such letter You LEI
me to punish me for an unfounded su
picion, and now you have stolen m
o child"
3, "Our child"
Mamma" l said, father did wrlt
l. you. The letter must have been place
Ie for you on grandma's desk. / found
n while You were away. 1t had slippC
ro down and got caught in the back
the desk"
y And so / furnished the proof tn
y brought my dear mother and faith
IT together after their long separatio
II and 1, who had for eleven years been