Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-01-19
The Mysterious Widow.

that portion of the district of Maine
lying east of the Penobscot, but Ad-
miral Griffith and Sir John Sher-
brooke, the latter then being the gov
ernor of Nova Scotia, had been sent
with heavy force to take possession
and occupy the town of Castine, which
place commands the entrance of the
Penobscot river. Shortly before the
arrival of the English squadron, Com
modore Samuel Tucker had been sent
around to Penobscot Bay to protect
the American coasters, and while the
British sailed up Castine, he lay at
Thomaston.
1t was a schooner that the Commo-
dore commanded, but she was heavy
end, we'll armed and manned; and
that she carried the true Yankee grit
upon her decks the enemy had receiv.
ed from them, rather too many proofs.
On the morning of the 28th of August
a messenger was sent down from Bel
fast with the intelligence that the
British frigate was coming from Gas.
tine to take him. Tucker knew that
the British feared him, and also that
Sir John Sherbrooke had offered a
large amount for his capture.
When the Commodore received the
intelligence, his vessel was lying at
one of the low 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 nc
desire to meet the frigate.
The schooner's keel was just clear,
ed from the mud, and one of the men
had been sent upon the wharf to cast
off the bowline, when a wagon drawn
by one horse came rattling down to
the spot. The driver, a rough looking
cOuntryman, got out upon the wharf
and then assisted a middle aged wo.
man from the vehicle. The lady S
frstinquiry was for Commodore Tuck
er. He was pointed out to her, and
she stepped upon the schooner's deck
and approached him.
Commodore, she asked, when do
you sail from here 2
we sail right of, as soon as posi-
ble, madam
oh, then, | know you will be kind
to me, the lady urged, in persuasive
tones. My poor husband died yeSter-
day, and | wish to carry his corpse
to WiScasset, where we belong and
where his parents will take care of it.
But, my good woman | shan't go to
WiscasSet.'
If you will only land me at the
mouth Of the Sheepscot, | will ask nc
more. can easily fud a boat there
to take me up
Where is the body ? asked Tucker
In the wagon, returned the lady
at the same time raising the corner of
her shawl to wipe away the gathering
tears. 1 have a 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 the man to refuse a favor ,anC
though he liked not the bother of tax
ing the woman and her strange &C
compartment on board, yet he coulC
not refuse. When he told her he
would do as she requested, she thank
ed him with many tears in her eyes.
Some of the men were sent upoI
the wharf to bring the body on board
A long buffalo robe was lifted off by
the man who drove the wagon, anC
beneath it appeared a neat black cof
fin. Some words were passed by the
seamen, as they were putting the cot
fin on board, which went to show pret
ty plainly that the affair did not ex
actly suit them. 1t may have beel
but prejudice on their part, but thel
seamen should be allowed a prejudice
once in a while, when we consider tn,
stern realities they have to encounter
Hush, my good men, said the Com
modore, as he heard their murmure,
remonstrances, suppose you were t.
die away from home-wOuld you no
wish that your last remains might b
carried to your poor parents ? Come
hurry now
The men said no more, and ere lon
the coffin was placed in the hold, an
the woman was shown to the cabin
In less than half an hour, the schoor
er was cleared from the wharf, ant
standing out from the bay. The win,
was light from the eastward, but Tuck
er had no fear of the frigate now tha
he was once out OF the bay.
In the evening the lady passenge
came on deck, and the Commodor
assured her that he should be able t
land her early on the next morning
She expressed her gratitude and sa
isfaction, and remarked that befor
she retired she would like to look an
see that her husbands corpse wa
safe. This was of course granted, an
! one of the men lifted off the hatch tha
she might go down into the hold.
Il declare, muttered Daniel Carte
an old sailor, who was standing &
the wheel, 'she takes on dre'fullyp
Dye notice what'n eye she's got
} continued Garter.
No, said Tucker, only twas swo
len with tears
MY eyes! but they shone thoug
when she stood here looking at th
compass
Tucker smiled at the mans quair
!, earnestness, and without further r
mark he went down into the cabbin.
When the woman came up from tt
hold she looked about the deck of til
/, schooner for few moments and the
went aft. There was something
her countenance that puzzled Carte
' He had been one of those who objec