River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-07-14
MARGARET CATCHPOLE.

Margaret Catchpole was born in the
year 1773, at a little cottage neal
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 ofag
ility and strength which were rather
suitable to young lad than girl. Hell
father and brother INDUCED her in
these freaks, and by the time she was IL
or II years old she could ride on horse
back as well as any person, male Oh
female, in the neighborhood. She was
of q kind and good disposition, and
much OF her time was spent in attend
ing upon the sick-bed OF her sister SUI
san.
The Catchpole family was intimate
with the Cracknells, who kept a small
chanderlv shop on Mr. DentOs's farm.
One evening the Cracknells gave a little
entertainment and, Of course, the
Catchpoles were invited At this time
Margaret was 1G, and. although by no
means pretty, she was well formed, had
Jetty hair, fine blue eyes, End pale
but interesting cOuntenance. AT the
entertainments Margaret met young
man named William Laud, and they
sat or 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 1t 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 Rargood, and engage as sail
or for wear 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 fiippant in his conversation, ana
concluded her solemn discourse by de
claring that Margaret should never
marry William Laud.
William took little notice of the
prophecy and remonstrance but 1t
made a deep impression upon Marga-
Itls w iltltAil nc Allltt f1iANA q Nv N''J
afteryard Susan was a corpse bat ere
the young woman breathed her lastshe
implored her surviving sister to beware
of William Laud.
Months passed away and Margaret
had received no tidings of William.
One dav 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, hearing with him a large packe;
which he deposited upon the table,
saving, This is present from William
Laud to Miss Margaret" The parcel
was opened; it contained lace and rib
bons. silks and stuhs, gloves and scents;
tea, coffee, sugar, snuff, and tobacco,
meerchaum pipes with silver-tipped
bowls and tubes; in a word, enough to
stock a small shop. A sudden light
broke in upon her mind, William Laud
had become Il 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 all this tinery away
with YOU again. Neither my father nor
myself will accept of 1t But tell VII
liam Laud that single ribbon, honestly
purchased, would have pleased me
more than yaluahles by which he can
moi have honestly come" The man.
however, refused to take the parcel
away with him, "fOr," said he, evil
liam Laud is the captain of the vessel
t., which | 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
garets 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 tc
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 a body getting n little money by a
side-wind now and then. Give me
these articles; | can dispose of them II
quiet way, and | will take care Of
Won. You may have groceries and
other things at my house without pay.
ment for slx months to come.
Margaret remained silent; her soru-
pies only required Il removal of the
goods from the cottage, and old Catch
pole snapped at Mrs. CrackuelTs offer
The bargain was struck, and in .he
evening Cracknell called and fetc.leo
away the things. But Margaret remem
hered the words Of her deceased sister
and she wept bitterly.
Regularly every month the samt
sailor, who had visited the cottage a.
above described, called with present,
for Margaret, and tender messages from
William; and the contraband articles
all found their way To the CracknelP.
shop. The brothers of Margaret be
came completely demCralized by the
sources of enjoyment opened to them
through these means; the Cracknelh
always supplied them with ready mon
ey: they grew idle and dissipated, anc
the once honest laborers were now the
constant guests of the publican. A
length Charles. the elder brother wa!
inveigled into the meshes of a recruit
ing sergeant, and embarked with an in
fantrv regiment for the East Indies
Robert, the second brother, died of de
lirium tremens in 1871. and James, tht
Younger brother turned poacher, ant
was shot in an affray with gamekeep
ers. Thus did the present Of William
Laud deprive old Jonathan Catchpol
Of his three sons, and Margaret of he
three brothers.
The Catchpole family became tn
OLDEST of suspicion and distrust in tn
neighborhocd. Strange stories were cir
culated relative to Margaret's conneC
ton with the smugglers. The coase
quence was that old Jonathan was Gem
PEELED 10 change his abode, and from
regular workman he became Johbln
laborer. obtaining employment whel
and where he could
Meantime the name Of William Lau'
grew famUus-or rather infamous; ans
the deeds wi ich distinguished him il
his desperate avoCatious, and III tn
constant collision with which he an,
the preventive officers found them
selves, became the theme of genera
conversation. In one of these encour
tiers William Laud was fearfully wound
ed in the head, aud was conveyed t
Captain Bargood's house. The sam
sailor whom we have already seen vr
iting the Catehpole's and whose nam
,raS Holm IuT now called upon Ma