Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1870-10-05
CHAPTER II.
THE TRAGEDY OF ROBERT GATHER.
WOOD.

MOOD.
"Ethelda is q name which so ap
pears, here and there IN our family
SAID Mr.. Catherwood, refectively
allowing his coffee to cool in its
translucent cup. ave are of Eng
lish descent, you know, Mr.. Gray
Our Ethel's grandmother was nam,
ed Ethclda-poor ladyl Hers was
sad, terrible fatel"
ooh, tell me about herl' almost
gasped Oliver.
at was always believed that she
was taken captive by pirates"
"Ah!" murmured Oliver, his black
eyes enlargng,
YES. Did you ever hear of any.
thing more pitiful?"
"Nevcr!" was his earnest response,
and he was so pale that Camilla
would have laughed at him, only
she could never hear the story Of
her great aunt's fate without tears
coming to her own eyes.
"She was SO young and beautiful
and so happy!" murmured the mar
rator, with as much sympathy as if
he had been personally acquainted
with her. at came about in this
wise: There were two Catherwoods,
brothers, one of whom conducted
the mercantile house in London, the
other in Bombay. Some reverses
ovcrtaking the London branch, and
somo political events occurring at
tho samo time, induced tho elder
brother, in England, to sell out, and
emigrate to America, where he es-
tabIishcd & prosperous business, and
wrote to his brother in India to dis
pose of his interests there, if posi- e
BILE, and join him in the New World,
The Indian climate did not agree
with Robert CatherwoOd, who had
intended returning to his native
land until he received this letter,
when he changed his mind, conclu-
ded to 90 to America, where it ap-
pearcd probable that he could still
further enlarge his handsome for
tune by trading with Bombay. At
this time he was about thirty years
of age, and had been married only
a couple of years, to fair English
girl, young, lovely, and good, who,
to Judge from his letters, had made
him the happicst of men. She was
somewhat homcsick in India, and
quite willing to exchange Bombay
for New York.
"IIis brother (the present speak
er's grandfathcr) wrote TO Robert to
put as largo a sum Of ready money
as he could command, into gems,
which could be procured to advan-
tage in India, and would bo easily
recoverable into funds on his arri.
val in this country, whore q taste
for luxury was growing as tho
wealth ofthe cities increased, which
had created q large demand for fine
jewels.
"The voyages of those days were
tedious, and not without extraneous
perils added to those Of navigation.
Pirates were not unknown, espe.
cially in the Indian sens; but this
was only another inducemcnt for
Robert to get his wealth into the
possible compass. Indeed,
il was still told in the family, that
James, tho elder brother, advised
him to conceal the gems about his
person, by stitching them into his
so that in the case of acci.
dent, should they escape with their
lives, were IL from shipwreckCd
vessel, or what not, that fortune
would bo rescued also.
at was never certain whether
Robert thus converted his funds;
but it was taken for granted that he
did. He wrote q cheerful letter,
announcing that ho had engaged
passage on q certain merchant YES
sol, to sail at such q date, along
with his wife and baby.girl.
"Thcso were the last immediate
tidings thoy ever received from him.
NY grandfather--I have often
heard him tell" continued Mr.,
Oatherwood-''waited and watched
for the expected ship, until he grew
worn and sick with waiting and
watching.
"Full two years after the loss Of