Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-10-08
A SEA SKETCH.

During the summer of 1914, the British
had not only laid claim to all Of that por>
ton Of the district Ct Maine lying cast of
the Penphscot. but Admiral Griffith and
Sir John e SherbroOke, the latter being
then the Governor of Nova Scotia, had
been sent with heavy force to take pos
session, and had occupied the town of Cas-
tine, which place commanded the entrance
to the Penobscot river. Shortly before the
arrival Ct the English squadron, Connie
dore Samuel Tucker had been sent around
to Penobscut Bay to protect the American
coasters there, and while the British sailed
up to Castine he lay with his vessel at
Thomaston.
1t was a schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but she was heavy one, and
well armed and named and that she car
ried the true Yankee grit upon her decks,
the euemy had received from them rather
too many proofs. On the morning Of the
2Sth Of August, a messenger came dIwD
f ON Belfast with the intelligence that the
British frigate was coming from Castine to
take him Tucker knew that the British
feared him, aud that Sir John SherbruNke
had offered large amount for his capture
When the Commodore received the intel
lIgence, his vessel was lying at one Of the
low wharves where be would have to wait
nearly two hours for the tide 10 get him of:
hu. he hasteued to have everything pre-
pared to get of as sron as possible, for he
had no desire to meet the irigate.
The schooner keel was Just cleared from
the mud, and one of the men had been sent
Don the wharf to cast of the bow line,
when wagon, drawn by one horse, came
rafting down TO the spot. The driver, a
rough looking countryman, got out upon
the wharf. and then assisted a middle aged
lady from the vehicle. The lady's first in
ouiry was for Commodore Tucker He
was pointed out to her, and she stepped
upon the sLooner's deck and approached
him.
"Commodore." she said, "when do you
sail from here?"
Fright off, as soon as possible, madam. "
ooh, then, | know you will be kind to
me-" the lady urged il persuasive tones -
"My poor husband died yesterday, and
wish to carry his corpse to Wiscasset where
we belong, aud where his parents will take
care of it"
"Bu', my good woman, I shan't go to
| Wiscasset"
"If you only land me at the mouth of the
Sheepscot, l will ask no more. | can easily
! find boat there to take me up"
Where is the body ?" asker Tucker.
an the wagon" returned the lady, at
the same time raising the corner Of her
shawl to wipe away the gathering tears
II have a small sum of money with me,
sir. and you shall be paid for your tlou-
ble"
tut, tut, woman if accommodate you
there wouldn't be any pay about it."
The kind hearted old Commodore was not
the man tn refuse a favor, and though he
liked not the bother of taking the woman
and her strange Accompaniment on board,
yet he could not refuse and when he told
! her he would do as she had requested. she
thanked him with many tears in her eyes
! Some of the men we're sent upon the
wharf to bring the body on board. Il long
buffalo robe was lifted up by the man who
drove the wagon, ard beneath it appeared
a neat black coffin. Some words were
PASSED by the seamen as they bore the
body on beard, which went to show pretty
plainly that the affair did not exactly suit
them. 1t may have been but prejudice on
their part, but yet seamen should be allow
| ed q prejudice once in while, when we
consider the many stern realities they have
to encounter.
Hush, my good men," SAID the Commo
| dore, as he heard the nurmured remOn-
strances. Suppose some of you were to
die away from home-would you not wish
that your last remains might be carried ia
your poor parents? Come, hurry, now
The men said no more, and ere loug the
coffin was placed in the hold and the wo-
man was shown to the cabin. In less than
| half an hour the schooner was cleared from
| the wharf and standing ont from the bay
The wind was light from the eastward, bot
| Tucker had no fear of the frigate now that
( he was once Qua of the bay.
/ In the evening the lady passenger came
on deck, and the Commodore assured her
that he should be able to land her early on
the next morning. She expressed her graf
| itude and satisfaction, and remarked that
| before she retired she would like to look and
see if her husbands corpse was safe. This
was of course granted. and enc of the men
| lifted of the hatch that she might 60 down
| int0<he hold.
IL declare" muttered PANEL Carter, an
old sailor who had the wheel, 'she takes
on dreadfuly."
Eyes, poor thing" responded Tucker, as
lie heard the xomsn's sobs and groans.