The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-08-05
MORNING, AUGUST 5, 1870.

trieu MS best To persuade her to have n
funeral. all quiet there at Camden. He
promised TO get minister, and tend to II,
and wait n day till 1t was alLover. and
then take her on TO Boston free gratis.
But twas all no 60. She wouldn't hear
a word TO It. And she recled of the talk
10 him by the yard. And when talk failed
she took to her water-works again, till
finally tho cap'n said his resolution was
clean washed away, and he jest give up
hook and line. and so twas all settled and
arranged that when evening come she
was to be alongside with her boat and took
aboard. 10
4 When she como out o. the cap'n's room
to 90 of, see Tom Toothacre q watchin'
on her. He stood there by the railin'
Shawn up a plug o. baccy to put In his
pipe. He didn't say word, but he sort
o. took the measure o. that arc woman
with his eye, and kept follcrin' on
her.
She had fine sort o. lively look, car
ried her head up and shoulders back, and
stepped as If she had steel spring in her
heels. ....r l.,
Wal, Tom, what do ye say to her p
says Ben BOwdin.
i don't say nothin', says Tom, and he
lit his pipe; faint my Business says
he.
wal, what do you Mink9 says Ben.
Tom gin hist to his trowsers.
My thoughts Is my own,' says he. 'and
/ calculate to keep 'em to myself says he.
And then he just walked to the side o. the
vessel and watched the woman gettin'
ashore. There was queer kind o. look
In Toms eye.
Wal, the cap'n he was drefful sort o.
oneasy arter she was gone. He had q
long talk in the cabin with Mr.. More, the
fist officer. and there was sort o. stir
aboard rs IL sorethin' was n goin' to hap
pen; we couldn't jest what It was.
Sometimes II seems rs II when things Is
goin' to happen body kind o. feels 'em
comm in the air. We boys was all that
way; of course we didn't know nothin'
bout what the woman wanted, or what
she come for, or whether she WAS comm
ag'in; in fact we didn't know nothin'
about 1t, and yet we sort o. expected suth-
In to come of 1t; and suthin did come,
: sure enough.
Come on night, Just ut dusk we see n
boat comm alongside, and there, sure
enough, was the lady In 1t.
There, she's comm ag'in,' says to
Tom Toothacre. |
Yes, and brought her baggage with
her. says Tom, and he pointed down to u
long, narrow pine box that was in the
boat beside her.
jest then the cap'n called on Mr.. More,
and he called on Tom Toothacrc, and
among 'em they lowered tackle and
swung the box aboard and put it the
state-room right alongside the cap'n's
cabin.
TIE lady she thanked tho captain and
Mr.. More, and her voice was jest assweet
rs any nightingale, and rs she went INTO
tho state-room after they put tho box in,
and was gone ever so long with 1t. The
csp'n and Mr.. More they stood q whisper
in to each other, and every once In
while they'd kind o. nod Mt the door where
where the lady was.
Wal, by and by she come ont with her
handkerchief to her eyes, and come on
deck and begun talkin' TO the cap'n and
Mr.. More, and wishin' all kinds o.
llessin's on their heads.
Wal, Tom Toothacre didn't say word.
good or bad, but he jest kept lookin' at
her, watchin' her MS cat watches q
mouse. Finally we up sail and started
with u fair breeze. The lady she KEEP
wal kim up and down. up and down, and
every time she turned on her heel, saw
Tom u lookin' arter her and kind o. nod
din to himself.
What makes you look artcr her so,
Ton?' says to him.
Cause / think she ,oants lookin' arter.'
says Tom. Whats morc,' says he, If
the cap'n don't look sharp arter her the
Devil III have us all before mornin'. i
tell yc, Sam, there's mischief in them pet
ticuts.'
why. what do We think?' says I.
Think! don't think. l know! That
ares no gal, nor widdcr neither, If my
names Tom Toothaere! Look Mt her
walk, look at the way she turns on her
heel! I've been watchin' on her. There
aint no woman livin' with step like
that y says he.
WAL. who should the crittcr be, then?'
says I.
WAL says Tom, If that are ain't n
British naval officer, I lose my bet. I've
been used to the ways on 'em, and j
know their build and their ster.'
What do you suppose she's got in that
long boxr says 1.
What has She got p says Tom. wal,
folks might say none o. my business; but
s'pects it'll turn out some ~ my business
and yourn too. if he don't look sharp ar
ter it, says Tom. It's no good. that are
box aint.'
why don't you speak to Mr.. More,'
says I.
wal, you see she's chipperin' round
and maxim herself agreeable to both on
'em you see; she don't mean to give no
body any chance for talk with 'em; but
I've got my eye on her for all that. You
see haint no sort o. disposition tn sarve
a time on one o. them British prison.
ships says Tom Toothacre. 1T might be
almighty handy for them British to have
the Brilliant for coast vessel says he,
but. yc see. 1t can't be spared jest yit. So
madam says he, I've got my eye on
YOU
Wal. Tom was rs good rs his word, for
when Mr.. More came towards him mt tho
wheel, Tom he up and say TO him. Mr..
More, that are big box in the state-room
yondcr wants lookin' into
Tom was n sort o. privileged character,
and had q way of speakin' up that the Of
ticers took In good part, cause they knew
he was fnst-rate hand.
Wal, Mr.. More he looks mysterious
and says he. Tom, do the boys know
what's In that are boxP'
i bet they don't says Tom, If they
had. you wouldn't a got 'em to help 1t
aboard.'
Wal, you see. poor woman says Mr..
More TO Tom, she was so distressed. She
wanted to get her husbands body to Bos-
ton, and there want no other way. and so
the cap'n he let II come aboard. He did
~ IN, hat