The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-09-07
THE MYSTERIOUS WIDOW.


During the summer of 1911 tho Brit
ish had laid claim to all that portion of
the district of Maine lying east of the
Penobscot. Shortly before the arrival
of the English squadron, Commodore
Samuel Tucker had been sent around
to Penobscot Bay to protect the Amer-
can coasters, and while the British
sailed up to Castine lie lay at Thomas
ton.
II was schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but he was heavy one,
well armed and manned and she car
ried the true Yankee grit" upon her
decks. of which The enemy had received
from them rather too many proofs. On
the morning of the 2Sth of August a
messenger was sent down from Belfast
with the intelligence that the British
frigate was coming from Castine to
take him. Tucker knew that the Brit
ish feared him. and also that Sir John
Sherbrooke had offered q large amount
for his capture.
When the Commodore received the
intelligence, his vessel was lying at one
of the low wharvcs, where he would
have to wait two hours for the tide but
he hasened to have everything pre-
pared to get her off as soon as possible.
The schooners keel was just cleared
from the mud and one of the men had
been sent upon the wharf to cast OFT
the bovine, when wagon, drawn by
one horse, came rafting down to tho
spot. The driver, rough-looking
countlyman, got out upon the wharf,
and then assisted q middle-aged woman
from the vehicle. The lady's first in
quiry was for Commodore Tucker. He
was pointed out TO her, and she stepped
upon the schooner's deck, and APP
preached him.
commodore" she asked, "when do
you sail from herep"
"We sail right of as soon as possible,
madam"
80, 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 parent will take sore of II"
'But, my good woman, | shan't go
to Wiscasset."
''lf you only will land me at the
mouth Of the Sheepscot, will ask no
more. ! can easily find boat there TO
take me up"
"Where is the bodyP" asked Tucker.
sin the wagon" returned the lady,
at the same time raising one corner OF
her shawl to wipe away the gathering
tears. 81 have sum of money with
me, and you shall be paid for the
trouble"
tut tut, woman {; II ! accommodate
you, there won't be any pay about it. "
The kind-hearted old Commodore
was not the man to refuse favor, and
though he liked not the bother OF taking
the woman and her strange compani.
ment on board, yet he could not refuse.
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; beneath il
appeared neat black coffin. Some
words were passed by the seamcn ~
they were putting the coffin on board
which went to show pretty plainly tina
the affair did not exactly suit them
But IL may have been but prejudice OF
their part, but the seamen should be al
lowed prejudice once in while,
when we sider the many stern real
tiles they have TO encounter. Ere long
the coffin was placed in the hold, and
the woman was 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 she was
once out Of the bay.
In the evening the lady passenger
came on deck, and the Commodore as
sured her that he should be able to land
her early on the next morning. She
expressed her gratitude, and remarked
That before she retired she should like
10 look and see that her husband 3
corpse was safe. This was. of course,
granted, and one lifted Off the hatch
that she might 60 down into the hold.
II declare" muttered Daniel Car
tor, an old sailor, who was standing at
.he wheel, she takes on dre'fullyr''
Eyes. poor thingV said Tucker, as
he heard her sobs and groans.
'Dye notice whatn eye she's gotr'
continued Carter.
mo" said Tucker, "only twas
swollen with tears
my eyes! but they shone, though
when she stood here looking at thu
compass"
Tucker smiled at the mans quain
esrnestness, and then went down \
The cabin.
When the woman came up from th
hold. she looked about the deck OF tn