The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-09-07
The Mysterious Widow.

portion of the District of Maine lying east
of the Penobscot, but Admiral Griffith
and Sir John Sherbrooke, the latter then
being Governor of Nova Scotia, had been
sent with heavy force to take possession,
and occupy the town of Castinc which
place commands the entrance to the Pc.
nobscot river. Shortly before the arrival
of the English squadron, Commodore
Samuel Tucker had been sent around to
Pcnobscot Bay to protect the American
coasters, and while the British sailed up
to Castine, he lay at Thomaston.
1t was schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but she was heavy one,
well armed and manned; and that she
carried the true Yankee " grit upon her
decks the enemy had received from them,
rather too many proofs. On the morn
ing OF August, a messenger was sent down
from Belfast with the intelligence that
the British frigatc was coming down from
Castine to take him, and also that Sir
John Sherbrooke had offered large
amount for his capture.
When the Commodore received the in
telligence, his vessel was lying at one of
the wharves where he would have to wait
two hours for the tide to set him off but
he FASTENED to have everything prepared
to get her off as soon as possible, for he
had no desire to meet the frigate
The schooner's keel was just cleared
from the mud, and one of the men had
been sent upon the wharf to cast off the
bowline, when wagon drawn by one
horse came rattling down to the spot. The
driver Il rough looking countryman got
out upon the wharf, and then assisted a
middlc-aged woman from the vehicle.
The lady's first inquiry was for the Com
modore Tucker. He was pointed to her,
and she stepped upon the schooncr's deck
and approached him.
"Commodore," she asked, "when do
you sail from here?"
We sail right off, AZ soon as possible,
madame"
"Oh then | know you will be kind to
me-" the lady urged, in persuative tones
{" My poor husband died yesterday, and
| wish to carry his corpse to Wiscasset
where we belong, and where his parents
will take care of it.
But my good woman, shau't 90 to
Wiscassett'
IF you will land me at Sheepscot, |
will ask no more. | can easily find a
boat there to take me up
Where is the body?' asked Tuck
er.
" In the wagon" returned the lady, AT
the same time raising the corner Of her
shawl to wipe away the gathering tears.
q" | have sum Of money with me, and
you shall be paid for your trouble"
Tut, tut, woman, if accommodate
you, there won't be any pay about it,"
The kind hearted old Commodore Was
not a man to refuse favor He liked
not the bother Of taking the woman and
her strange accompaniment on board, yet
he told her he would do as she had re-
questcd. She thanked him with many
tears in her eyes.
Some Of the men were sent on the
wharf to bring the body on board \
long buffalo robe was lifted off by the man
that drove the wagon, and beneath it APP
peared neat black coffin. Some words
passed by the seamen as they were put
ting the coffin on board, which went to
to show that the affair did not exactly
suit them. 1t may be prejudice on their
part, but the seaman should be allowed a
prejudice once in while, when we con-
slider the many stern realities they have
to encounter. Hush, my good men,
said the Commodore, as he heard their
murmured remonstrances. Suppose
you were to die away from home, would
you not wish that your last remains might
be carried to your poor parents? Come
hurry now"
The men said no more, and ere long
the coffin was placed in the hold and the
woman was shown to the cabin. In less
than half an hour the schooner was cleared
from the wharf, and standing out from the
bay. The wind was light from the east
Ndlu, Dul uChtl ldu llO ltuI VI l1t lTlg-
ate now he was once out of the bay.
In the evening the lady passenger
came on deck, and the Commodore as
sured her that he should be able to land hel
early on the next morning. She expires
sed her gratitude and satisfaction, anC
remarked that before she retired sh,
should like to look and see that her hus
band corpse was safe. This was of cours,
granted, and one Of them lifted off tn,
hatch that she might 90 down into tn,
hold
" declare" muttered Daniel Carter
an old sailor who was standing at tn
wheel, " she takes on dreadful"
" Yes, poor thing" said Tucker, as h,
heard her sobs and groans.
"D'ye notice whatn eye she's got ?
continued Carter.
"No," said Tucker, " only twas swol
len with tears ~
My eyes but they shone, though
when she stood here looking at the com
pass"
Tucker smiled at the mans quain
earnestness, and went down into tn
cabin.
When the woman came up from til
hold she looked about the deck Of tn
schooner for few minutes, and then wer
aft. There was something in her cour
tenance that puzzled Carter. lie ha
been one of those who objected to tn
coffin being brought on board, and henc
he was not predisposed to look very fl
vorably upon its owner. The woman
eye run over the schooner's deck with
strange quickness, and Garter eye
her sharply. Soon she went to the ia
frail and looked over at the stern bo,
and then she came and stood by the bin
nacle again.
Look out, or you'll jibe the boom,
> uttered the passenger.
Carter started, and found the mainsa
was shivering. He gave the helm CO.
l. 4