Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-10
There was an imposing monument in the GEN.
| tery with tbiS ipScription.


ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN DAVID
PRossER BY HIS INCONs0LABLE WIDOW"
eve would not call thee back from Heaven"
The widow spent much of her time planting
and tending flowers and shrubs around the mon
ument, and keeping the turf that surrounded it
fresh and green.
On cold, gray November twilight she was
engaged in picking up the withered leaves
that had fallen upon the grass there, when she
suddenly saw the figure of aman coming through
the cemetery gateway, and advancing toward
her.
The cemetery was on the outskirts of the vii
iaSe and visitors to it were rare. The widow
wondered what his business might be- When
she discovered that he wore a sailors garb her
heart began to beat quickly. As she conflded
TO her faithful servant Barbara that night. she
had. at that moment, a presentiment of what
was coming
She leaned against the monument for sup
port: she put her finger upon the inscription,
We would not call thee back from heaven - as
II that ought to have it's effect upon the mind Of
any well-dspOsed ghost
But the figure still advanced and taking off
his sailor cap, revealed black. curly head. a
sunburned face, and great deal of jet black
curling mustache. young man, and the late
Captain PrOsser was sixty; very dark mans land
the late captain was fair
The widow drew long breath and stood up
right, although. as she afterward explained to
barbara. the ''presentiment" did not for a
moment leave her.
Il beg your pardon. madam, for intruding
upon you, especially while you are engaged in
SD sacred duty" he said, with great polite
ness, "but l have a communication to make to
you which may prove to be OF great import
ance."
The widow invited him to her house, leading
the way with weak and faltering step, instead
OF her usual brisk and alert one.
She ushered the sailor into the sitting-rOOm,
where Ann Olive sat, in a melancholy frame of
mind, embroidering sun1owers and cat-tails on
crash tOwellng-fOr the aesthetic had travelled
even as far as NorthpOrt-and thinking of Obed
Welcome. With so many polite bows and COM
plimentary phrases that Barbara who was peep
Ing and listening at the slightly opened door,
confded to Uriah Peaseley that he was "ayther
Ould Nick himself or a Frinchman." He seated
himself beside the fire, and while the widow
had her face turned toward the window, in an
effort to regain her cOmpOsure. he managed to
whisper an aside to Ann Olive. 81 am not what
Seem!"
Obed belonged to the Shakespeare Club in the
village. and Ann Olive had heard him recite that
in the hOarse and growing accents which were
supposed to be natural to Shakspeare's heroes
The whisper was different from the grOwl but
still Ann Olive knew that the sailor was Obed.
She knew, too. that he had adopted the sailors
disguise for the purpose of getting into her
aunt's good graces, and she gave expression to
her delight by hugging the ancient bob-tailed
tabby, that was mapping beside her, so forcibly
that she uttered an ear-splitting meow.
''There there!" exclaimed the widow. turning
around, more agitated than before Il should
know now that something was going to happen
if l hadn't known it before That cats cry
always means something. l neuer knew it to
fail"
The sailor concealed grin, and Ann Olive sat
wickedly silent.
eve sailors knock about the world good
deal, and hear of good many strange things
remarked the sailor, in an easy, Otf-hand man.
ner, and in kind of falsettO voice which caused
Ann Olive to be divided between mirth and adj
mration But the widow noticed neither the
manner nor the voice. She was pale with eX-
pectancy. ''Imet an old shipmate over at North
port HarbOr the other day, and he told mel
don't want to raise any false hopes. and it may
be only rumor-but he said that the Sunbeam
had been heard from !"
The widow uttered cry and sank into her
chair, with her hands clasped, as if in supplica-
ton.
''She was wrecked. but the captain and seve-
raj of the crew were picked up and carried to
Australia, and it is though are now on their
way home"
1.-The saints be good till us!' cried Barbaras
voice. ''Indade it'sthe ould Nick himself that's
Arthur bringln such news as that Sure and
can't himself shtay drowned, the like iv amy
lther corups, and lave thin in pace that's been
kill"
Barbara! Barbara said her mistress, re-
prOvingly; but she wept, and wrung her hands
despairingly. and at last tottered out of the
room: half fainting, and supported by Barbara's
faithful arm.
This astonishing reception of his news filled
the sailor with dismay. especially as the instant
that her aunt was out Of hearing his lady-love
turned tiercely upon him.
"A pretty mess you have made of it. haven't
your. she said. Il hope to goodness it isn't
true"
81 am afraid it is" said the sailor, mournfully.
81 did hear so, and thought it would be a CAP
1tal opportunity for me to get into her good
graces. thought she would be delighted l
was only afraid she would die of joy. She
seemed so ncOnsOlable"
'lncOnsOlable fddlestick! She was widow.
and she wanted to do it well. 1t is ner way to
do things well. And she hates men, and didn't
want another one to ask her to marry. He was
hOrrid old wretch. my uncle; used to beat her
black and blue. and keep her in terror of her
life. Oh, horrors! do hope it isn't true. You
had better get out of the way as quick as you
can; she wont want to see YOU again"
SHE said she wanted you to marry sailor
said the young man, deectedly.
only because there would be chance of his
getting drowned. And shell never let me marry
yon. that is certain. If you didn't know any
better than to bring such news here, you might
have asked somebody who did. Now you had
better go and take Off those ffxings that make
you look perfectly horrid, and never come here
room. with signs of approaching Mysteries. and
the sailor skunk out, miserable and detected be-
yond expression. But as he meditated a raw of
hope lightened his gloom. The sailors loss
might be Obed Welcomes gain.
On the next day and on several days there
after Obesl was missed from his accustomed
place in the store. He had gone to NOrthport
HarbOr, and afterward to Boston, con business"
The nature Of that business was only revealed
when, week after his appearance there in the
disguise of sailor, he boldly called at the widow
PrOsser's
The widow had shut herself up on the plea of
illness, DENYING herself to all visitors but it was
absolutely necessary that she should play propri-
ETY. since Obed Welcome had had the audacity to
call on Ann Olive.
Obed plunged at once into the matter at
hand.
Il suppose you heard that about the Sum
BEAM he said. 'There was sailor round
here telling about it. made inquiries in Bos-
ton and-and-and I'm sorry to tell you (that
stuck in honest Obeds throat, but he remem-
bered that all was fair in love and war. and
forced it Out)-'Tm sorry to tell you, but it
isn't the Sunbeam that Captain Prosser sailed
in. It's another vessel altOgether-sailed from
Baltimore. And she hadn't been out but about
% days. so don't know how they ever came to
think twas the old Sunbeam"