Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-09
THE MYSTERIOUS WIDOW.

district of Maine lying east Of the Penob
scot. Shortly before the arrival of thu
English squadron, Commodore Samue
Tucker had been sent around to Penob
scot Bay to protect the American coast
ers, and while the British sailed to Gas
tine he lay at Thomaston.
1t was a schooner that the commodore
commanded, but she was q heavy one
well armed and manned and she carried
the true Yankee "grit" upon her decks
of which the enemy had received from
them rather too many proofs. On the
morning of the goth of August a messen.
ger 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 Sherbrooke
had offered large amount for his
capture.
When the commodore received the in
telligence his vessel was lying at one of
the low wharves, where he would have
to wait two hours for the tide but he
fastened to have everything prepared to
get her off as soon as possible.
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 driver, a rough looking countryman,
got out upon the wharf, and assisted a
middle aged woman from the vehicle.
The lady's first inquiry was tor Commo-
dore 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 from here ?"
ave sail right off as soon as possible,
madam"
"Oh, then, know you will be kind to
me-" the lady urged, in persuasive tones.
"My poor husband died yesterday, and
wish to carry his corpse to Wiscusset,
where we belong, and where his parents
will take care of it,"
'But my good woman, shan't go to
Wiscusset."
'Tfyou will only land me at the mouth
of the Sheescot, i will ask no more. |
can easily find a boat there to take me
up"
''Where is the bodyw asked Tucker.
'In the wagon" returned 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 be paid for the trouble"
"Tut, tut woman; if l accommodate
you, there won't be any pay about it,"
The kind-hearted old commodore was
not the man to refuse a favor and though
he liked not the bother of taking the
woman and her strange accompaniment
on board, yet he could not refused
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 it
appeared a neat black coffin. Some
words were passed by the seamen as they
were putting the coffin on board, which
went to show pretty plainly that the af-
fair did not exactly suit them. But it
may have been but prejudice on their
part, and the seamen should be allowed
aprejudice once in while, when we
consider the many stern realities 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. She 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 he able to land
her early on the next morning. She ex-
pressed her gratitude, and remarked that
before she retired she would like to look
and see that her husbands corpse was
safe. This was, of course, granted, and
one of the men lifted off the hatch that
she might go down into the hold.
II declare" said Daniel Carter, an old
sailor who was standing at the wheel,
"she takes on Dire 'fully."
eyes, poor thing" said Tucker, as he
heard her sobs and groans.
''D'ye notice what'n eye she's got ?"
continued Carter
NO." said Tucker, "only twas swollen
with tears"