Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-07-01
The Widows Purchase.

Tradition has handed down rath
cr amusing auction incident that trans
pired in Weymouth some fifty or sixty
years ago. A veteran sea captain Of
that ancient town having paid the debt Of
nature, a day was appointed by his ad.
ministrator for the sale Of his goods and
chattels. A large number Of the neigh.
bors, male and female, attended the oc'
casion, and among others widow, whose
weed concealed rather prepossessing
person. She had seen nearly fifty SUM.
mers, but time had laid his touch so light
ly upon her, that she might pass for a
maid of thirty. Her husband, who had
been from his yonth sailor, had fallen a
victim to the perils of the sea and since
his death she had led lonely life, the
sole occupant Of neat rural cottage
which he left her.
Que article after another was sold, un-
til the auctioneer, to wind up the sale
offered lot of canvass that had been
slowed away under shed. The widow,
for what particular reason we are unable
to say, began bidding for it, but not with
out competition. Two or three others
stepped up and began to examine it
Pulling it open they discovered a tar
paulin hat, and pausing from surprise
a voice sauted them from the heap of
canvas, with
"What are you after, overEauiing this
craft, you land lubbers ?"
All present stood amazed, but the
auctioneer soon recovered from his as
tonishmcnt, and being something of a
wag brought down his hammer, exclaim.
ing with a comical smile. The wild.
ow-has the lot for one dollar ~
The laugh that followed, and the
widows confusion, US she saw sailor en-.
crying from beneath the canvass, may
readily be imagined. The gallant tar
jumped upon his feet, and inquired who
had bought him.
The widow" replied the auct-
ioneer, convulsed with laughter.
"Blcss my good luck" continued Jack.
II am just the fellow to be her slave"
The widow, striving in vain to conceal
her embarrassment, hurried out Of the
crowd, and made the best of her way
home. The sailor stood gazing after her,
and watched her enter her humble cot
ta.e. Then turning to the auctioneer, he
inquired
What freight i. there here for the
widow just load it upon this craft !;
shiver my tmbers if don't land it safe
at her door,"
The articles which the widow had
bought were accordingly gathered up, and
the sd lor taking them on his shoulders,
trudged off He did land his load in
safety, as he promisel; then catching a
glimpse Of the widow, as she looked won-
derlngly at him through the window, he
DOTTED his tarpaulin respectfully to her,
and departed. The widow hardly knew
whether to regard his conduct simply as
the rash impulse of sailors humor, or
as indicative of some preconcerted
scheme. She felt relieved to see him de-
part still she had lurking curiosity to
know something more about him.
On his return from the widows, Il
crowd gathered around the tar, when, in
answer to numerous questions put to him,
he stated that he was stranger in the
place. that while passing by he had been
Informed that an old sea captains effects
were to be sold, and this induced him to
attend the sale that finally, when it Was
getting late in the afternoon, he discover
ed the heap of old canvas in Il back shed
and resolved to take up his lodgings in it
for the night, little thinking it was to be
ovcrhaulcd and sold.
After this explanation he was besct
with invitations from different members
of the group, and FINELY accepted the
proffered hospitality of Il fellow sailor for
the night Next morning he called at
the widows betimes and inquired whether
she had any services for him to perform
that day.
"You bought me fairly" said he.
land | am ready to do your bidding.
Besides, out of regard to an old ship
mate, who perished before my eyes in a
storm at sea, and who left widow some-
where in this quarter, l am bound to do
favor for every widow l meet with.
| lHlS iIluSlOl W di oiu Shipiuuec, Ca
cited in the bosom Of the lonely woman a
strong desire to hear his story. She in
vitcd him in, and, after questioning him Il
few monutcs, ascertained that the ship.
mate of whom he had spoken was no
other than her own lamented husband
Her interest in him from that moment
rapidly increased. In compliance with
her entrcaties, he stopped to dine with
her, and the day was far spent before he
left her house. He remained in the
village and spent portion of each day
at the widows. 1t was soon announced
that preparations were making for we'd
ding and few weeks after the stranger
sailor became the widows husband. AL
though she had purchased him. she never
imposed any servile burdens upon him.
Quincy Patriot
A HoRsE Story. Near Bermuda
Hundred there is large corral, where
all disabled and worn.out horses, brought
here by General Sheridan after his fa'
nous raid, are confined. The poor beasts
nave apparently but little of their orig
inal vigor left. That was what VIC
thought a week or more since. Now we
have changed our opinion. During the
heavy firing on our right short time
since. these lame and worn.out equine