The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-27
Wrote the "Romance of DoIlard.- sold
kaskaskia." "Lazarre" and Nu-
merous other Stories.
POET RILEY MUCH GRIEvED
WAS AN ADMIRER AND FRIEND OF
THE DISTINGUISHED WOMAN.
Hewitt Howland's Estimate of Mrs.
CatherwOod-Funera Services
to BE Held ON Sunday.

CHICAGO, Dec. 26.-Mrs. Mary Hartwel1
Catherwood died tonight at her residence,
1852 Washington avenue. OF cancer. Mira.
Catherwood was taken fill in October and
steadily declined until tonight. when she
succumbed to the disease. The funeral
service will be held Sunday and interment
will be at HoopestSn. ILL.,. her old b3me.
Mrs. Catherwood is survived by her hus-
band. John Steel Catherwood. and daugh-
ter
Mary Hartwell Catherwood was born at
Luray, Licking county, Ohio, Dec. 16 isf7-
She was graduated from the Female Col
lege at Granville. o.. I'm 1865. and a few
years later married James s. Catherwood.
Shortly after her marriage she and her
husband removed to Howard county. In
diana, remaining there until 1879 OF 1880.
when they came to indianapolis. where
they resided for three or four years. From
here they went to Hoopeston. H.. which
was their home until a year two ago.
when they moved TO Chicago.
During her school days it was Mrs.
Catherwoods ambition 10 become a writer.
and at that time her facility with the pen
made her the envy of her companions.
During her residence in Indianapolis she
made number of literary acquaintance.
among them James Whitcomb Riley. who
was then in the early years of his popu-
larity. and she afterward said that she
gained much encouragement and inspira-
ton from these associates. Her first work
was in the line of Juvenile fiction. her first
books being "Old Caravan Days." Secrets
at Roseladies," "Dogberry Bunch a-d
Rocky Fork" The frst-named de-
scribes the moving of a family by ca
riage and wagon from Ohio to Illinois by
way of the National road In the late fifties
1t reads If it were in the nature OF
personal reminiscence, and, indeed the
journey is said to have been a part of her
childhood's experience. All these Juvenile
stories have a realistic quality which gives
them a peculiar charm. She also wrote
short stories and two or three novels about
this time, one or two of the latter appear
ing in Lippincott's Magazine. She was
merely trying her hand however ~-d
did not include these tales in the list OF
her publications, dating the real beglnn..l.:
OF her literary career from the Romance
OF Dollard," which was first published I'm
the Century Magazine and attracted much
attention. Ii was i'm Indianapolis that she
met Benjamin S. Parker, the poet, and IL
was while visiting his family at Sher-
brooke, Canada, where he was American
consul, that she heard the story OF Dollard
and saw IL commemorated at the annual
fete in honor of st. Jean Baptiste. Interest
i'm the early settlement Of Canada and the
Northwest had already been awakened I'm
her mind by Parkmans brilliant histories.
and the romantic figure OF this Canadian
| hero made especial appeal TO her enthu-
siasm for the romance Of history. She at
once began to acquire the information nec-
essary. and TO visit the scenes Of his ex-
ploits and prepare herself TO produce the
tale which is generally accepted her
best.
Parkmans histories afforded her the
groundwork not only for this story. but for
most OF her later work. The romance OF
the early French settlements in this coun-
| try and Canada appealed to her and she
made thorough study OF the period and OF
/ the places She was a very conscientious.
painstaking worker and before beginning
/ piece of historical fiction IL was her GUS
| tom TO go over the ground thoroughly.
reading everything she could find on the
subject. delving into old records. manu-
scripts, etc. She spent much time in Cam
| ada investigating her subjects and
made -, at ,,as least on one h visit to FRANCE
thoroughly did she saturate her mind
/ with the history and literature of the
period for which she wrote and sym
] -.
the voyageurs, the explorers-that her
stories have old-time atmosphere and
something of the vividness and intimacy OF
Her acknowledged works are: THE Story
| of Tonty," The Romance OF Dollsrd."
THE White Islander" .,The Days of Jeanne
+ Caravan Days, Secrets of Roseladies."
''The Lady of Fort st. John" ''Old Kas-
kaskia." THE Chase Of ST. castin. The
Spirit of an Illinois Town and Little
/ Renault." 'Bony and Bon." ''Mackinac
/ and Lake Stories" Spanish Peggy" and
! last year, attained wide popularity and
/ still ranks among the best sellers Her
admirers will disagree as 10 whether not
i Il should rank higher than The Romance
of DoIlard'' in point OF merit and interest,
but the stories are so different In char
acter they need not be compared While
+ the story. OF Eleazar Williams. on which
attention through the reading OF Parkman.
! IL her interest In the early French
settlers OF the country. no doubt. that
/ caused IL TO appeal to her. In this tale. like
the others, her blending OF fact and fancy
1 is so skllfnlly done that Il reads like a bit
OF biography. yet has all the interest OF
/ fiction Ii is said that she Eel; this book
10 be her best piece of work.
With the encourasetoeng that came ia
her from the popularity OF this book Il
! seems likely that she would have achieved
something even In advance OF IL. for she
was not woman TO lay down her pen,
satisfied with what she had done. She was
4 in the prime OF her working years, and her
untimely death Is distinct loss 10 the held
OF American letters
Mrs. Catherwood was simple and woman
I ly IN manner and possessed a kindness
/ that won her many friends She was a
leading spirit I'm the Chicago literary cir
Gle. and in recent years took an interest
In clubs. being frequently called on 20 read
! before them. She has visited Indianapolis
several times for that purpose: Her last
| visit here was at the time OF the authors'
readings In May OF this year. when she
| I'm the city who will be greatly shocked at
her death. the impression among them -