Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-10-18


man and her strange accompaniment o
board, yet he could not refuse and whe
he told her he would do as she requested
, she thanked him with many tears.
Some of the men were sent upon tn
wharf to bring the body on board.
long buffalo robe was lifted off by tn
man who drove the wagon, and bcneat
, it appeared a neat black coffin. Som
. words were passed by the seamen, as the.
bore the coffin on board, which went t.
show pretty plainly that the affair did no
suit them. 1t may have been prejudice
once in while, and when We consider tn
stern realities they have to encounter.
"Hush, my good men, said the Com
modore, as he heard their murmered re
monstranccs. "Supposc some OF yo'
were to die away from home-would yo,
wish that your remains might be carried
to your parents? Come, hurry now "
The men said no more, and ere Ions
the coffin was placed in the hold, and thu
woman was shown to the cabin. In les!
than half an hour the schooner was clear
ed from the wharf and standing out from
the bay. The wind Was light from tht
eastward, but Tucker had 10 fear of the
frigate, now he was once out OF the bay.
In the evening the lady passenger
came on deck, and the Commodore assur.
ed her that he should be able to land hcl
early the next morning. She expressed
her gratitude and satisfaction, and re-
marked that before site retired she should
like to see if her husbands corpse was
safe. This was of course granted, and
one of the men lifted off the hatch, that
she might 90 down into the hold.
81 dccarc,' muttcred old Dan Carter
an old sailor who had the wheel, "sh,
takes on drc'fully."
ayes, poor thing" responded Tucker
as he heard the womans sobs and groans.
Dye notice what an eye she's got ?!
continued Carter.
"No," said the Commodore, "only that
it was swollen with tears
MY eyes' but they shone though
when she stood there looking at the COM
pass
Tucker smiled at the mans quaint
earncstness, and without further remark
he went down into the cabin.
When the woman came up from the
hold she looked about the deck of the
schooner for few minutes, and then
went aft. There was something about
her countcnance that puzzled Carter
He had been one of those who objected
to the collins being brought aboard, and
hence he was not prcdisposed to look very
favorably upon its owner. The woman's
eye ran over the deck with strange quick.
ness, and Carter eyed her sharply. Soor
she went to the tatlrail and looked int
the stern boat, and then she came ant
stood by the binnalc again.
'Look out, or you'll jibe the boom,
uttered the passenger.
Carter started, and found that the
mainsail was shivering. He gave the
helm couple of spokes aport, and thel
cast his eyes again upon the woman
whose features were lighted by the bima
Gle lamp.
"Thank'e madam said Dan. "lIa
hold on; why, bless my soul, there's ;
big spider right on your hair. No-no
there. Here -l'll-Cgh! ~
The last ejaculation Dan made as he
seemed to pull something from the WON
ans hair, which he threw on the deck
with the ugh" above mentioned.
Shortly afterwards the passenger wen
below, and ere lorg Tucker came Oh
deck.
"Commodore," said Carter, with re.
markable degree of carncstnc.s in hi
Manner "has the oman turned in yet ?"
IL rather think 50" said Tucker, look
ING at the compass. Look out, look out
Carter. why, man alive, you re two
points to the south'ard of your course"
elbow me, so | am" said the man
bringing the helm smartly aport. "Bu
say, Commodore, didn't ye notice nothn
culiar bout that 'omau?,
"Nhy, Dan, you seem to be greatly IN
terested about her.
$50 | am Commodore and so an
about the black coffin, too. Wouldn't i
be well for you and | to go and overhaul
| it ?"
"Pshaw you are as scared as chil'
in a graveyard
mo, not bi. of it. Just hark bit
That oman amt no oman at all"
The Commodore pronounced the vulsa
name of his satanic majesty, IN mos
emphatic manner.
! Its the truth, Commodore. l ca
swear to it. | purtcnicd there was
spider on her hair, and | rubbed m
, hand agin her face. BY Sam Hyde, ii
want as rough and bearded as Il holy
stone. You see she told me as how l.
let the boom jibe if | didn't look out.
knowed there wasn't any 'oman there, 5
tried her. Call somebody to the whet
and let's go and look at the coffin, y
The Commodore was thundcrstruck b
what he had heard, but, with that cali
presence of mind which made hun wha
he was, he set cody to thinking. In
few moments he called one of the men al
, to relieve Carter, and then he went dow
, into the cabin to look after his passenge
, The latter was turned in and seemed
e be snoring. Tucker returned to the dec
| and took Carter one side,
"No noise now, Carter you follow n
0 as though nothing had happened"
"Sartin," responded Dan.
f The two approached the main hate
| and Carter stopped to raise it, when h
e hand touched "a small ball that seemed