The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-28
THE MNS FERROUS WIDOW.

THE MXS FERROUS WIDOW.
curing tAs summer Of 1911 the British
had not only laid claim toall that portion Of
tbs district Of Maine lying east Of the PEN
obscot, but Admiral Grið and Sir John
Sherbrook, the latter being the governor
general of Nova Scotia, bad been sent with
heavy force to take possession, and oc-
cupled. the town, of Gastine, which place
commands tha. entrance to the Penobscot,
river: Shortly before the arrival of the
English Squadron. Commodore SamreA
Tucker had been sena around to Penob-
scot Bay to, protect thu. American coasters
and while the. British sailed up Castlnc he.
lay at Thomaston.
It was a schooner that the commodore
commanded, hnt she was heavy one,
well armed and manneds and she carried
tha-trne Yankee grit" upon her decks. of
OF which the enemy had received from them
rather too many pr oGfs. On the morning
OF. the 18th. Of August messenger was
sent down from Belfast with the intelli-
genae that tina British. frigate was coming
from Castins to take him. Tucker knew
that the British feared him, and also that
Sir John Sherbrook had offered large
amou Mt for his capture.
SSA4A4A4NS$ASAV
teligence lis vessel was lying at ona. Of
the low wharves, where he would havs. to
wait two hours for the tide to set him off,,
bat he fastened to have everything pre-
pared to get her of as soon as possible, for
/ be had NO desire to meet the frigate.
The sclooner's keel was cleared from
/ the mud, aud one Of the men had been
sent upon the wharf to cast off the bswlins,
when wagon, drawn by one horse, came
rafting down to the spot. The dnxer. q
rough looking countryman, got OFT upon
the wharf, and then assisted middle -aged
| woman from the vehicle. The ladE's first
inquiry was for Commodore Tucker. He
| was pointed out to her, and she stepped
| upon the schooner's deck and approached
him.
sail from here?'
''We sal right off, as soon as possible,
madam"
"Oh, then, know you win be kind to
me, " the lady urged, in persuasive tones.
MY poor husband died yesterday. and I
wish to carry his corpse to Wiscasset, where
we belong, and where his parents will take
But, my good woman, shant go to
| Wiscasset. % .>.- saA
IF you will only land me at the mouth
L
can easily find boat there to take M. up. y
where is the body?" asked Tucker.
| "In the wagon" returned the lady, o
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 I 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 wo-
man and her strange accompaniment on
board, yet he could not reIuse. When he
told her he would do as she requested, she
thanked him with many tears in her eyes.
| Some of the men were sent upon the
wharf to bring the body on board. A long
drove the wagon, beneath it appeareda nea
black coffin. Some words were passed by
the seamen, as they were putting the cof-
fin on board, which went to show pretty
plainly that the affair did not exactly suit
them. E33
But it may have been bat prejudice on
their part, but the seamen should be al
lowed prejudice once in a while, when
we consider the many stern realities they
have to encounter. Hush, my good men !"
said the commodore, as he heard their
murmured remonstrance. 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" .t.
The men said no more, ana ere long the
coffin was placed in the hold and the wo-
man 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
he was once out Of the bay.
In the evening tho lady passenger came
on deck, and the commodore assured her
that he would be able to land her early the
next morning. She expressed her graft
tude and satisfaction, 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" muttered Daniel Carter, an
old sailor who was standing at the wheel,
''she takes on dre'fully!"
Eyes, poor thing!" said Tucker, as b
heard her sobs anG groans.
Dye notice what'n eye she's got!~
continued Carter.
''No, said Tucker, "only twas swol-
len with tears"
my eyes! but they shown, though,
wien she stood here, looking at the COM
pass"
Tucker smiled at the man g quaint earn
estness, and without further remark he
went down into the cabin.
When the woman came up from the
hold, she looked about the deck Of the
schooner for a few moments, and then
went aft. There was something in he1
countenence that puzzled Carter. He
had been one of those who had objected to
the coffin being brought on board. and
hence he was not predisposed to LOOK
very favorably upon its owner. The
woman's eye ran over the schooner's deck
! with strange quickness, and Carter eyed
her very sharply. Soon she went to III 9
taffrail and looked over at the stern boat,
and then she came and stood by the bin
nicle again.
Look out or you'll iibe the boom" ut