Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-01-09
The Mysterious Widow.

Inc mysterious WHOM,
During the summer Of 1914 the Bril-
fish had T OF only laid claim to all that
portion Of the District of Maine lying
east of the Penobscot, but Admiral
Griffith and Sir John Sherl rookie, the
latter then being the Governor of Nova
Scotia, had been sent with heavy force
to take possession, and occupied the
town of Castine, w lich place commands
the entran e to the Penobscot river.
shortly before the ar wal of the English
squadron, Commodore Samuel Tucker
had been sent around to Penobscot Bay
to protect the American coasters, and
while the British sailed up Bastine. he
lay at I homaston.
1t was schooner that the Commo-
dorc commanded, but she was heavy
one, well armed and manned and that
she carried the true Yankee grit y
upon her decks the enen. y had received,
from them, rather too many proofs.
On the morning of the 2Sth of August
messenger was sent down from Belfast
with The intelligence that the British
frigate was coming from Castine to take
him. Tucker knew that the British
feared him, and also that Sir John Sher-
brooke had offered large amount for his
carture.
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 no desire to
meet the frigate.
The schooner's keel was Just cleared
No IF no hoI
been sent on the wharf to cast off the
bowline. when a wagon drawn by one
horse came rafting do Nn to the spot.
The driver, rough-loOlling country
man, got out upon the wharf, and tfen
assisted midde-aged woman from the
vehicle. The lady's first inquiry was
for Commodore Tucker. He was pointed
out to her, and she stepped upon the
schooner's deck, and approached him.
Commodore" she asked, when do
you sail fiom here ?'
" We sail right off, as soon as posi-
bic, madam"
son, 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,"
Dut, NY Sooi WolldH, S"aH ~
TO Wiscaeset."
off you will only land me at the
mouth of the Sheepscot, | will ask no
more. can easily find boat there to
take me up"
"Where is the body?" asked Tucker.
'Ir the wogOn," responded the lady,
at the same time raising the corner of
her shawl to wipe away the gathering
tears. II have sum of money with
me. and you shall lie paid for your
trouble"
"Tut. tut, woman, if / nc ommodate
you, there won't be any pay about
it,"
The kind hearted oil Commodore was
not the man 20 refuse favor, and though
he liked not the bother of taking the
woman and her strange accompaniment
on board, yet he could not refuse.
When he told her he would do as she
had requested, she thanked him with
many tears in her eyes.
Some of the men were sent upon the
wharf to bring the body on board. A
long buffalo robe was lifted off by the
man who drove the wagon, and beneath
it a peared neat black coffin. some
words wer, passed by the seamen, as
they were putting the coffin on Loard
which went to show pretty plainly that
the affair did not exactly suit them. 1t
may have been but prejudice on their
part, but then seamen should be allowed
a prejudice sometimes, when we con-
slider the stern realities they have to en-
counter
'Hush, my good men," said the Com
modore, 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,
bury now"
The men said no m lore, and ere long
the toffin was placed In the hold land the
woman was shown:tO the cabin, In less
than half an hour, the sch ooner was
cleared from the wharf, standing out
from the bay.
The wind was light from the east
ward, but Tucker had no fear of the
frigate now that he was once out of the
Day.
In the evening the lady passenger
came on deck, and the Commodore as
sured her that he should be able to land
her early the next Cay. She expire sed
her gratitude ana satisfaction, and re.
marked that before she retired she hould
like to look and SEQ tina. her husbands
CORPSE was safe. This was of course
granted, and one of the men lifted off