The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-15
[For the Press.l
[For the Press.]
An Early Romance of
CascO Bay.
CHAPTER /
BIZ ADAM NEWBEGHy.

betrayed me once, and kept me half the
night sailing around the buoy on the middle
ground, as related in former story, but
shortly afterwards he came for me again to
60 down to Birch Island to visit some friends
who were camping out there. A family party,
this was to be; we would start in the morn
ing and run down in two hours before the
wind, which the Pumpkin Seed could easily
do, aud return early so as not to find our
selves belated if we had to beat up, which
was not likely, as the wind would probably
haul around to the eastward in the after
noon. 1t is astonishing how sure of wind
these old seadogs always are before starting,
and how often they can get disappont
without ever learning caution. 1t used to be
just the same in the old days before the
pleasure steamers ran, when picnic parties
would sail CALAMITY down in the Laurel, or
the Mechanic, and after day of jollity tug
slowly back in the late evening under a
"white-ash breeze" 1 am always promising
myself that l will never get caught out SO
again, and that will take my pleasuring in a
prompt and reliable way by steamer, bat
when the invitation comes to join pleasant
company, always yield and get fooled again,
just as l have continually been from boyhood
up. Still there was certain favor and zest
in those old chowder-parties that are only to
be had now by going down in the same old
way. Such chowders as those ancient mari
ners George Loring, Harrison Brazier, and
Sam. Mcclellan used to make, you cannot Of
ten get now, unless you go with Capt. Jones
in the Clarence, and the pride which they
took in them was quite lovely to see.
1t was pleasant summer morning, and
we started off with a light breeze from the
westward, running down through the back
passage. The islands were clad in their
brightest summer green, and sprinkled with
the white tents of camping citizens, while
the golden sun g'orified the whole bay, show
ing bits of fairy-land in every distant cove
and stretch of water. Our eyes lovingly
dwelt on the green vista which opened up to
the mouth of the Presumpscot, where lay the
Marine Hospital, backed by the Falmouth
woods, and surrounded by grassy slopes:
That said l, wishing to introduce the
element of pleasing information, into our Cos
sip, which had turned mostly upon those
points so interesting to amateur mariners, as
to whether the boat behind with the gaff top
sail would pass us, and whether we were
gaining on the little ones sail boat ahead.
shat is Martins Point, which was almost as
early settled, and as much favored by those
early settlers as what is now the city. In
fact, the first grist-mill was built up the river
at the lower falls about 1850"
"Was that where Lydia Martin lived, who
married Captain Corbin in your storyp" said
lively little widow, who was of the party.
SIT was, madam" I replied, "and their
farm was on the point to the right OF the
Hospital. They had neighbors all about
them, the farms stretching completely around
Back Cove on the farther side. Everybody
settled near the shore in those days, because
there were no roads, ard their communica-
ton was by water, following the fashion of
the Indians. They had one of the best farms
In the town, and in lovely situation, as you
can see. Robert Corbin became an infuen-
tial citizen, holding important offices, and
they must have lived very happily, as you
related of their characters"
"Whata shame it was to cut all that splen-
did growth of wood off from Capboard Island,''
broke in thaSkipper who, think, has YER
liable dislike for all valuable information.
YES" said the long mate, "and how bare
and wretched ii looks now. Just think what
splendid picnics we had there in the old DAYS
OF the Rifle Corps and Young America"
We were OFT the Island now, and he sighed
as he thought OF the glorious punches of those
times.
"Did they have any children p asked the
widow softly.
1.-THE Rifle Corps Or Young America ?"
querled the Skipper. 'No, my dear, except
possibly daughter of the regiment"
gave the pretty widow a look of gratitude,
and replied in tone of gravity, which I
trusted would check the levlty of the Skipper
1.-The Corbins left no posterity. The farm
descended to little Joseph Atwell, her neph.
ew, the grandson of Lydia Corbin's STEP
mother. Her father, you will remember,
married the widow Atwell. Now the widow
had son Benjamin, whom the old man
Martin never was fond of, as is testified by
his will made just before his death in 1878.
he left six pounds, goodly sum in that day
to little Joe, to be paid in goods, $50 far
as his father may not defraud him of it'' so
the will read. Joe, who was two years old
then, was the son of Benjamin. Willis thinks
this, "corroborated by other circumstances
leaves an unfavorable impression of BENJAMIN
Atwels character" but perhaps Benjamin
had taken an early dislike to his stepfather
who had married both his widowed mother
and the nice farm, some twenty-five years
before. His mother, however, sided against
him, for about Christmas-tde, she conveyed
her property to her step-daughte'rs husband
on condition that he should support her for
tne remainder of her days. Atwell owned
the next farm, and they lived side by side
very neighborly."
Here the Skipper broke in again. We were
approaching Cousins Island.
perhaps you can tell us something about
Mr.. Cousins and his island" said he.
"Oh yes" L replied good-naturedlv al
though 1 suspected that he really wished to
draw me away from the thread of my dis
course, which 1 considered to be unkind in
him, after all the information which l had
lavished upon HIM. f'It was named after
John Cosins, who bought it of Richard Vines
in 1915. He lived on it until he was driven
off to York in the Indian war of 1916, the
same war in which these men [ am talking
about were killed."
"Was Robert Corhin killed, and what be-
came of his wife?" asked my sympathizing
friend, the widow.
CHE was, 1 replied, sand Lydia became
widow"
"Oh, how NICE" said the bereaved one, "do
tell US all about ito
The Skipper gToaned and volatile young
lady of the party. who had been kept quiet
for an unusually long time, now stated it as
her opinion that the little dears, meaning the