The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-01-22
Select Sttscellang.
THE MYSTERIOUS WIDOW.

During the summer of 1914, the British
not only laid claim to all that portion of the
district of Maine lying east of Peuobscot,
but Admiral Griffith and Sir John Sher-
5ronk-the latter then being the Governor
of Nova Scotia-had been sent with a
heavy force to take possession, and occupy
the town of CASTLE, which place commands
the entrance to the Penobscot river. Short.
ly before the arrival of the English squad.
ron, Commodore Samuel Tucker had been
sent around to Penopscot bay to protect
the American coasters, aud while the Brit
ish sailed up the Castine, he lay at Thom-
aston.
1t was schooner that the commodore
commanded, but she was lively one, well
armed and manned and that she carried
the true Yankee grit upon her deck, the
enemy had received from them too many
proofs. On the morning of the 18th OF
August, messenger was sent down from
Belfast wi tn the Intelligence that a British
frigate was coming from Castiue to take
him. Tucker knew that the British feared
him, and that also Sir John Shcrbrook
had offered large amount ior his capture.
When the commodore received the in.
tlligeuce his vessel was lying at one Of the
low wharfs where he would have to wait
for two hours for the tide to set him off,
but he FASTENED to have evrythiug prepa
red 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 rafting down to the spot. The dri"
yer, rough-looking countrymau, got out
upon the wharf, aud then assisted a middle
aged woman from the vehicle. The iady's
first inquiry was for Commodore Tucker.
He was pointed out to her, and she stepped
upon. the the schooner's deck and annroach,
ed him.
.'Con,modofa. :, she aetnd, when do YOU
sail from here ?"
ave sail right of, as soon as possible,
madam"
ooh, then know you will be kind to
me-" the lady urged in pursuasiye tones.
"My poor husband died yesterday, and l
wish to carry his corpse to Wicasset, where
he belongs, and where his parents will
take care Of it."
"But, my good woman, I shan't go to
Wicasset."
"If you will only land me at the mouth
Of the Sheepscot, | will ask no more. l
can easily find boat there to take me up"
"Where is the body?" asked Thicker
"In the wagon" returned the lady,'a the
same time raising the corner of her shawl
to wipe away the tears. 81 have a sum
of money with me, aud you shall be well
paid for your trouble"
"Tut, tut, woman if accommodate you
there won't be no pay about it"
The kind-h earted old commodore was
not the man to refuse favor, and though
he liked not the bother of taking the wo.
man and her strange accompaniment on
board, yet he could not refuse. When he
told her her he would do as she had re.
quested, she than ked 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 that
drove the wagon, and beneath it there ap-
peared neat black cofiG. Some words
were passed by the seamen, as they were
putting the coffin on board, which went to
show plainly that the affair did not exactly
suit them. 1t may have been but prejudice
once in while, when we consider the
stern realities they have to encounter.
"Hush, my good men, said the eommo.
dore, as he heard their murmered remon-
strances. 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 p
The men said no more and ere long the
coffin was placed in the hold, and the wo,
man 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 eastward,
but Tucker had no fear of the frigate now
that he was once out Of'the bay.
In the evening, tie lady passenger came
on deck, and the commo dore assured her
that he would be able to land her early on