The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-11-29
The Disguised Passenger.

DURING the summer of 1911 the
~ British 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 American coasters, and while the
British sailed up to Castine he lay at
Thomaston.
1t was a schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but she was a 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 29th of August
messenger was seut 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 Sher-
brooke had offered large amount for
his capture.
When the commodore received the
intelligence, his vessel was lying at one
of the low wharves, where he would
have to wait two hours for the tide; but
he hastened 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 rattling down to the spot.
The driver, rough-looking country
man, got out upon the wharf, and then
assisted a middle-aged woman from the
vehicle. The lady's first inquiry was for
Commodore 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?"
1--WE sail right off as soon as possible,
madam"
go, then, know you will be kind to
me-" the lady urged, in persuasive tones.
my poor husband died yesterday, and L
wish to carry his corpse to Wincasset,
where we belong, and where his parent
will take care of it,"
"But, my good woman, / sha'n't go
to Wincasset."
eff you only will land me at the
mouth of the Sheepscot, 1 will ask no
more. can easily find boat there to
take me ur.'
''Where is the body ?" asked Tucker
Tn, kha H.
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 trou-
ble.n
"Tut, tut, woman; if 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 compartment
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 it
appeared 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 affair did not exactly suit them. But
it may have been but prejudice on their
part, but the seamen should be allowed
prejudice 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. The wind was light from the
eastward, but Tucker had no fear Of the