The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-01-15
The Sea Captains Return.

| tdlt are lTue.
Captain Potter, of Newport, R. J., was
wealthy and amiable gentleman, whose
family consisted of his wife, who wa:
the pattern of virtue, and one daughter
who, though very young, exhibited tht
polished beauty of her mother and thu
viyacity of her father. As he was mucf
experienced in the business of sea cap
tain, he was offered the command of ;
vessel, which promised great advantage
and with great reluctance left his amiablt
wife and child once more to try his fate OF
that element whose composure lures tc
the gates of unprohetic destruction.
This voyage once completed, Captain
p, determined 10 renounce the faithless
deep, forever, for the quiet of his own
freside. Previous to his departure he
took gold ring from the finger of his
wife, and placed it on his own, saying
should this return not on the same hand
you may rest assured that am among the
uncoffined dead of the ocean. With
those words he departed. Alas! Mrs.
Potter was doomed to drink deep at the
fountain'of woe. After waiting the period
of his expected return, she began TO gaze
with anxiety on every sail that appeared
in view, and eagerly sought every oppor-
tunity to learn from public documents
some tidngs Of her absent husband, or
the fate Of the ship in which he sailed
But all her efforts were ineflectual; the
only information that could be, or at least
ever was obtained on the subject, was
from an English vessel, which ran thus:
May 10Th, 1896, spoke with the Ranger,
from Newport, Capt. Potter, master, in
3S dogs. SO ms w! This indefinite in
telligence was far from cheering to the
heavy heart of Mrs. Potter. When she
saw others blithe, it only reminded her
Of her own sadness; while others were
enjoying the reciprocity of conjugal So
ciety, it pointed her to the loneliness of
her own heart.
While other children were happy in the
smiles Of their parents, her angelic little
Mary would climb upon her knee, and
with accents that rend a mothers heart
inquire If her father would not return.-
But month after month wasted away;
season after season rolled their tresome
wheels along, until fourteen years had
been added to the congregated centuries
of the past; yet no tidings of Capt. P
no; not even probable conjecture
concerning the dark mysteries Of his
fate.
Time,that changes all things, had worn
away the acuteness of Mrs Potler's grief,
which was far more intense than it would
have been had she really wept at his
grave and known that the last moments of
her husband had been soothed by allec-
ton. As This last voyage of the captain
seemed to be to the unknown coast, she
was called The widow Potter Having
a splendid mansion and country seat Of
great value, her hand was sought by
many, and as often rejected, until bach
elor, who had resisted the charms of
kind for quarter of a century,
was smilten with the loneliness of this
worthy matron, or with the comeliness
of her possessions. She at length con-
sented that her name should be changed
to Morane, the bridal day was appointed,
and tn arrangements were made to greet
The coming period with due festivity and
nirth. The gossips began to be more
than usual; every tattler had
ner tale Of wedding to tell;even the phlegm-
1tic began to surmise that something
was about to be done at the man
sion of the widow Potter.
Late in the afternoon of cold, stormy
day in November, pennyless beggar
called at neighboring house and enquir-
ed whether the widow Potter lived IN this
part of the city. His appearance denoted
The most extreme poverty; his emaciated
orm was reduced almost to a skeleton;
deep burrows were drawn in his cheeks,
and his tottering frame seemed to be stiff
enedsin every joint by disease Tor hard
ships. Yet there was som ething in his
eye that told he was born to better for
une. Yes said his informant, 'at the
very next door, and tonight she is to be
is to be married. said the beggar.
"How long has her husband been
iead2"
''These many long years; he went
off to sea and has not been heard of
SINCE"
"How has she sustained herself,
sin ce her husbands death?'
She has an unblemished character
elias she any children2'
Zone daughter only, who has become
fine young lody.'
& must see her before she is married;
| have come communication of inpor-
tance.'
So saying, he hurried as fast as his fee
BILE limbs would allow to the splendid
dwelling of the widow Potter. The maid
in attendance being summoned, and see
ing beggar before her, was about to
close the door against him, but the istran-