Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-09-02
The Sea Captains Return:
A E,ale founded on Fact.

lSiahQ, wac WeatQlly anu aliilaule
gentleman, whose family consisted
of a wife, the pattern of virtue, and
one daughter, who though young, ex-
hibited the beauty Of her mother,
and the vivaGity of her father. AS
he was experienced in the business
of a sea captain, he was offered the
command of a vessel, which prom
ised great advantage, and with great
reluctance left his wife and child to
try his fate ON that element which
composur4 lures to tile gates Of an
unprophretic destruction.
This voyage completed, Capt. Pot
/ ter determined to renounce the faith
less deep forever for the quiet Of his
own fireside. Previous to his de-
parture he took a gold ring from the
finger Of his wife, saying: Should
this not return on The same hand,
you may rest assured that / am
among tie uncoffined dead of the
ocean Alas Mrs Potter was DOOM
ed to drin k deep Of the fountain of
woe. After waiting the period Of
his expected return, she began to
gaze upon every sail that appeared,
and eagerly sought every opportqni-
ty to learn some tidings Of her hus-
band, or tle.fat Of the ship in which
he sailed. But all her efforts were
Intellectual; the only information that
could be, or at least ever was obtained
on the subject, was from an English
vessel, which Tan thus: May l6,
l1796, spoke with the Ranger, from
Newport, Capt. Potter master, lat.
% deg, 20 min. W. This indefn-
ite intelligence was far from cheering
to the heavy heart of Mrs. Potter.
When she saw Others pass by it only
reminded her of her own sadness;
and while Others were enjoying the
reciprocity of conjngal society, it
pointed her to the loneliness of her
own heart. While other children
Ewere happy in the smiles Of their
parents, her angelic little Mary would
climb upon her knee, and with ac-
cents that rend a mothers heart. in
quire if her father would not return.
But month after month rolled away;
season after season rolled their tire
some wheels along, until fourteen
years had been added to the eongre-
! gated centuries of the past; yet no
tidings of Capt. Potter; no, not even
a. probable conjecture, concerning the
dark mystery Of bis fate.
Time, that changes all things, had
worn away tie aGute eness Of Mrs.
Potter's grief, which was far more IN
tense than it would have been had
she really wept Iat his grave, and
known that his last moments had
been soothed by affection As this
last voyage of the Captain seemed
to he near the unknown coast, she
was called the widow Potter. Hav-
ing d country scat Of great value, her
hand was sought by many, and as
often rejected; until a bachelor who
had resisted the charms Of woman
kind for a quarter Of century, was
Esmitten with. the loneliness of her
possessions. She at length consent I
ed that her name should be changed
to Morane; the bridal day was ap-
pointed, and the arrangements were
made to greet the coming period with
/ festivity and mirth. 'Fhe gossips
began to be more loquacious than
usual; even the phlegmatic began to
surmise that something unusual was
about to be doneiat the mansion OF
the widow.
Late III the afternoon of a cold,
stormy-lay of November, pennyless
beggar called at 1 neighboring house
and inquired whether the widow Pot
ter lived in this part Of the city.
His appearance denoted extreme pov-,
erty; his emaciated form was reduced
ito a skeleton; deep ftWows were
drawn in his check, and Shis frame
seemed to be. stifaned in every point
by disease or hartisblps. Yet there
was something in his eye which told
tbe was born to a better fortune.
sYes. said his informant, sat the very
| next door, and tonight she is toIbe
married.
rs she to be married. SAID the
beggar How long has her husband
Ibeen dead
These many long years; be went