The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-30

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in future. He allowed all his inherit
ed estates, amounting to s millions OF
dollars to be confscated to the king,
then walked out of that audience strip
ped of everything that royalty posses
sed, but he was a free man. History
has no account of such sacrifice OF
wealth and rank, in order to marry
poor girl.
The nuptials were soon celebrated,
but only now did mystery and romance
begin to surround them. He had CIV
en- up millions, it is true, but still was
comparatively a rich man with money
and estates coming from his mother.
He turned all his possessions into
gold and struck out, as he explained
it. "to rub elbows with the world, and
mix on an equal footing with his kind"
He was tired and disguised with the
life of pomp and display, with the an
noyances and ethics "that doth hedge
about a king" After providing amply
for the family of his wife, they went
to London, looking out for some pur-
suit in commercial life, best suited
to his taste.
He purchased trim built little
merchant steamer, and with a select
crew, he boldly struck out across the
Atlantic in search Of adventure. His
happy wife accompanied him on all
his trips.
In South America he found lucra-
tive employment in the nitrate trade,
between the points Of Peru and the
Brazilian and Argentina republics.
This he kept up for several years, hav-
ing perfected himself in all the intri-
cacies Of sailing a ship. Either with
compass or dead reckoning he was
equally compstent to direct his course
or find his position on the seas. Many
dark, stormy nights could John Orth
be seen in sailor cap, water proof
boots, and storm coat, standing on the
bridge of his ship battling with the
angry waves.
But the wander lust came upon
him He wanted to roam over distant
seas and visit countries in the far dis
tant Indian ocean. He recruited and
enlisted a picked crew for two years
and provisioned MS vessel for that
length of time. An experienced sailing
master was engaged, a cosy berth
fixed up for his wife and child, all
made ready for this cruise in the un-
known waters of the South Seas.
When he was ready to weigh an
chor at Rio, from which city he sailed,
his sailing master, for some reason
or other, had to visit some one in the
city. Whether the first officer wished
to escape this dangerous voyage, or
whether John Orth wished to rid him
self of his sailing master, will never
be known, for when he returned, Cor
so says, the ship was plowing its way
towards the Pacific. That was the
last ever seen or heard Of John Orth,
his wife, child, crew or ship. That
was more than ten years ago. But the
mystery continued and if all accounts
be true John Orth is certainly one OF
the worlds wizard.
Months and at last year had pass
ed, and not one word or trace had
been heard or seen Of the missing
ship. Friends wrote and enquired OF
every known part Large rewards Of
fered for the faintest clue, all in vain.
About two years after his disap-
pearan y, tramp, three masted sail
ing ship, came into a French port and
reported seeing on an island in the
Indian ocean, more than a thousand
miles distant from any other island,
white man and his wife, with a lot
of other white men, apparently on
friendly terms with the black natives.
In fact, it was thought the white man
was the ruler. These tramp sailors
were not allowed to land, but water
and provisions we're carried to them
in boats. This, all thought, was of
surety, the missing John Orth.
Frances Joseph, emperor, now be-
gan to get interested. A fleet Of war
vessels were dispatched on a two
years cruise to the South Seas, with
orders to scour the islands and the
esas for some trace Of the lost Argo-
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