Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-07-14
MARGARET CATCHPOLE.

Margaret Catchpole was born III the
year 1878, at a little cottage near
Nacton, suffolk. Her father Jonathan
CatchpOle, was a plOwman upon the
farm of Mr.. Denton. When a child,
Margaret was fond of riding upon the
cart-horses, and INDUCED in feats of ag-
ility and strength which were rather
suitable to d young lad than a girl. Her
father and brother INDUCED her IN
these freaks, and by the time she was IL
or IL years old she could ride on horse
back as well as any person, male OF
female, IN the neighborhood. She was
of a kind and good disposition, and
much of her time was spent in attend
ing upon the sick-bed of her sister SUI
san.
Tne Catchpole family was intimate
with the Cracknells, who kept a small
chanderly shop on Mr.. Dentoss farm.
One evening the Cracknelis gave a little
entertainment and, of course, the
Catchpoles were invited At this time
Margaret was IS, and, although by no
means pretty, she was we'll formed, had
jetty hair, fine blue eyes, and a pale
but interesting countenanCe. AT the
entertainment Margaret met young
man named William Laud, and they
sat OF danced together the whole even
ing There was a species of love at
first sight" between them, and there
seemed a certain fitness in their union
which did not escape the eyes of their
parents.
William and Margaret became enga-
ged to each other; and it was determ-
med that they should be married as
soon as William could obtain steady
employment. At length he called to
inform his betrothed that he had re-
solved to accept the proposition of one
Captain BargOod, and engage as a sail
or for a year or two, the Captain offered
to receive him on one of his own trad
ing vessels. Margaret's sister did not
approve Of the resolution, she reproach-
ed William as being too worldly mind
ed, too flippant in his conversation, and
concluded her solemn discourse by de-
claring that Margaret should never
marry William Laud.
William took little notice of the
prophecy and remonstrance but it
made a deep impression upon Marga-
ret. William departed, and few days
afterHard Susan was a corpse but ere
the young woman breathed her lastshe
lmplOred her surviving sister to beware
of William Laud.
Months passed away and Margaret
had received no tidings of William.
One day sailor presented himself at
the cottage and inquired if ''Miss Mar
garet Catchpole dwelt there?" The re-
ply was an affirmative; and the sailor
entered, bearing with him a large packet
which he deposited upon the table,
saying ''This is a present from William
Laud to Miss Margaret" The parcel
was opened; 1t contained lace and rib
bOns, silks and stuffs, gloves and scents;
tea, coffee, sugar, snuff, and tobacco,
meerchaum pipes with silver tipped
bowls and tubes; in word, enough to
stock small shop. A sudden light
broke in upon her mind, William Laud
had become a smuggler
Recovering her presence of mind, she
desired one of her brothers to help her
tie up the parcel, and, when this was
done, she said to the sailor ''My good
man, you may take ali this tinery away
with you again. Neither my father nor
myself will accept of it. But tell Will
liam Laud that single ribbon, honestly
purchased, would have pleased me
more than valuables by which he can
not have honestly come" The man,
however, refused to take the parcel
away with him, ''for," said he, evil
ham Laud is the captain of the vessel
to which l belong and | would not dare
to offend him. He is all~powerful with
our owner, Bargood, and / would advise
you to throw away this stupid squeam-
ishness. Nothing could change Mar
garet's intentions the sailor refused to
take away the parcel, and departed in
an i'll humor and when he was gone
the Catchpoles held IL consultation to
determine what they should do with
the contrabrand articles.
In the midst of the debate, Mrs
Cracknell called, and was duly informed
of the incident that had just taken
place. We'll, said Mrs. Cracknell,
times are very hard and the laws are
very severe, and | don't see any harm
in body getting little money by a
side-wind now and then. Give me
these articles; can dispose of them in
a quiet way, and | will take care of
you. You may have groceries and
other things at my house without pay
ment for six months to come"
Margaret remained silent; her scru-
Piles only required a removal of the
goods from the cottage, and old Catch
pole snapped at Mrs. Cracknelrs offer.
The bargain was struck, and in the
evening Cracknell called and fetched
away the things. But Margaret remem-
bered the words of her deceased sister,
and she wept bitterly.
Regularly every month the same
sailor, who had visited the cottage as
above described, called with presents
for Margaret, and tender messages from
| William; and the contraband articles
all found their way to the Cracknell's
shop. The brothers of Margaret be-
came completely demoralized by the
sources of enjoyment, opened to them
through these means; the Cracknells.
always supplied them with ready mon
ey; they grew idle and dissipated, and
the once honest laborers were now the
constant guests of the publican. At,
| length Charles, the elder brother, was
nveigled into the meshes of a recruit
ing sergeant, and embarked with an in
fantry regiment for the East Indies :,
| Robert, the second brother, died of de-
lirium tremens in 1871, and James, the;