Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-09-14
SrIrftrn
19
THE REFEa ZEE. CA Sc.
AN OLD MAN S STORY.

was related I" me b. an aged srid non
"red member Of large linay cv,nec.
ton; a man VII possesses anplmos, in.
exhau~fible fund Of legendary lore. and
whose most interesting anecdotes aud
most couIIc tales are but recollection. ol
past scenes oi wh ich he can say. IN the
language Of Enens. "quorum masa
pars fm.'
MANY years ago" said Mr.. E
ri happened t" b. one oi the referees in
case which excited nnrsual interest N
our courts. from the singular nature Of
the clan, aud the strau.e story winch i,
disclosed
The pa,n,lfF who WIS a coptain Of .
merchant ship witch tradrd prlnrlplilt
with England and the West Indies. hs3
married quite carly in hfe, with tyre
prospect Of hlppinr-s lls wife VIZ
said 10 have teen extremely beAutl!ul,
aud no les loyel, III character.
after living with her IN the most un-
interrupted harmony for FIVE years, ,iur.
M which tl,ne tHp dalthuerS were dl-
dci to his ta,nrIy, hr druIv resolved
t. rc>ume hl> "ccuplrlnn, Witch he h rd
relnoli>hrd "n trs marrlage and uhrn
) hi- Youngest chlli was but three weeks
odd, sli.ed once motc ler the Vest iu-
+ dies
Ills wife. Who was dcy ore!ly attached
10 hiR, Snrrpwed deeply at hls absence,
aud found her only comfort III the >orl
ctv of her children aud the hope nf h's
return. Bar month after mon'l pissed
away, and be came rot. ter dtd any lst-
ters. those Insufficient bn, welcome sub
/ >,tute~, arrive to cheer her sMnnie
"Nnufhs lencthened iuio Years, vel no
rii,ncs were received nj the absent hus.
band; ani. after long hoping agans~t hePa
The unhappy wife WIS complied To be-
Iieye that he hnd found a grave brneafh
the velterln, ocean
"ller sorrow was deep and heartfelt,
bni The evils Of pnHert1 were n"w adGee
ro her afillrlinn, aud The vi low found
h-r,tlt obliged To resort 10 sou,e errpi Y
ment, IN order t" support her h. IpitS> rhl-
! /
ard for ten wears shc llborcd early ami
! late for the miserable pltrnnce which i
ever sru.ginsly bestowed on the humble
,eaH-fress-
"A merchant in New Y4rk. in moler,
ale but pr"spertnG circumstances. accl.
den,allY hecame acqnain'ed wi'h her,
Iau1 pleased with her geulc nauurr> II"
lr>s than her exireul~ beauty eudeatofetl
to IMPROVE their acqna'ntanre w'th irieitl-
ship.
After some months he ti,rred her hi,
hand, a'd wAs accepted. As the wrfe oF
a successful merchant, -he soon feHGd
herself IN the erjoyHen' Of comforts and
/ tnxnrles. such as she had never before
possessed. Her children became hi
children, and received from han every
Ad, antagc tia, wealth. and If, cllon could
procure.
Fifteen years passed away; ,he
daughters married. and b. their step IA.
ther were furnished with every contMi
requisite N their new ayoca,loI If house
Keepers. Bui they had scarcely qutted
/ has rout hen iheir muth-r vas taken III.
She die,! after few days sickness. and
! from that tlme until the period OF whIch
| speak. the sidnuer had resided With
the youngest daughter.
"Now CONES the sirangest part of the
story. Alter an absence oi thirty years,
during which ,iue no ndlngs had beei,
received from hun. the first husband re.
turned a. suddenly as he had departed.
He had changed his ship, adopted ano-
,her iamt, and spent the whole Of thar
long period o. time on ;he ocean, wnh
only transient visttS on shore, while tax.
! NJ IN or dlschafglug cargo; having been
careful. also. never TO come nearer home
,h,n New Orlcan..
"Why he had acted ia this unpardona.
bic manner towards hls tam,l, no one
couId tell, and he obsl,iateiy refused all
explanation. There were strange rn""fs
of slave trading and piracy "d,at. bu,
they wefe only whispers ot conjecture
rather than truth.
"Wha,ever might have been his motive
Tor such conduct. he Was ceriannIy any
,h,ng but ind .ierent to his family con-
Germs when he returned. lie raved like
a lnadn!an when informed uf bis vile :
second marriage and sub>equen, death
vow.ns vengeance upon his successor, all
Terrifying his daus h'ers BY the most a"'