The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-07-28
THE MYSTERIOUS WIDOW.

THE MYSTERIOUS WIDOW.
Dur ing the summer of 1911 the British
had not only laid claim to all that portion Of
the district of Maine lying east of the Pen
obscot, but Admiral Griffith and Sir John
Sherbrook, the latter being the governor
general of Nova Scotia, bad been sent with
o heavy force to take possession, and oo-
cupied the town Of Castine, which place
commands the entrance to the Psnobscot
river. Shortly before the arrival of the
English squadron Commodore Samuel
Tucker had been sent around to Penob-
scot Bay to protect the American coasters,
and while the British sailed up CASTING he
lay at Thomaston.
1t was schooner that the commodore
commanded. but she was heavy one,
we'll armed and manned; aud she carried
the true Yankee grit" upon her decks, of
of which the enemy had received from them
rather too many pr oofs. On the morning
of the 2Sth of August a messenger was
sent down from Belfast with the intelli-
gencs that the British frigate was coming
from Csstine to take him. Tucker knew
that the British feared him, and also that
Sir John Sherbrook had offered large
amou ut for his capture.
telligence his vessel was lying at one of
the low wharves, where he would have to
wait two hours for the tide to set him of;
but he fastened to have everything pre-
pared to get her OF as soon MS possible. for
he had no desire to meet the frigate.
The schOoner's keel WAS cleared from
the mud, aud one Of tho men had been
sent upon the wharf to cast OFT the bowline,
when q wagon, drawn by one horse, came
rattling down to the spot. The driver. a
rough looking countryman, got out upon
the wharf, and then assisted middle aged
woman from the vehicle. The hdy'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 SAIL right OFF, as soon as possible,
madam"
"Oh, then, know you will lie kind to
me, the lady urged, in persuasive tones.
My poor husband died yesterday, and
wish to carry his corpse to Wiscasset, where
care of it,"
u,: But my good woman, I shan't go to
If you will only land me at the mouth
of the Sheepscot, will ask no more. l
can easily find boat there to take mo up"
"Where is the body?" asked Tucker.
In the wagon" returned the lady,
the same time raising the corner Of her
shawl to wipe away the gathering tears. u
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, aud though
he liked not the bother OF taking the wo-
man and her strange accompaniment on
board, vet he could not refuse. When he
told her he would do as she requested, she
thanked him with many tears III her eyes.
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 appeareda neat
black coffin. Some words were passed by
the seamen, as they were putting the COT
fin 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 al-
lowed prejudice once in 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
we're to die away from home-wo1lld yon
not wish that your last remains might be
carried to your poor parents? Come, hurry
now"
The men said no more, and 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 the 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 drefully!"
Eyes, poor thing!" said Tucker, as h
heard her sobs and grcans.
"D'ye notice what'n eye she's got?'
continued Carter.
mo, said Tucker, "only twas swol-
MY eyes! but they shown, though,
when she stood here, looking at the COM
pass"
Tucker smiled at the man S 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 her
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 th
and then she came and stood by the bin
uicle again.
Look out or you'll jbe the BOOM" ut
tered the passenger.
Carter started, and found the mainsail
shivering. He gave the helm couple of
spokes aport. and then cas- t his eyes again
upon the woman, whose features were light
ed by the pinnacle lamp.
"Thanke ma am" said Dan. "Ha, Eold
on-why, blesc my soul, there's big spi-
der right on your hair. No, not there.
Here-Ill-Ugh?"
This last ejaculation Dan made as he
seemed to pull something from the womans
hair, which he threw upon the deck with
the "Ugh!" above mentioned.
Shortly after the passenger went below,
and ere long Tucker came on deck.
Commodore, said Carter, with re-
markable degree of earnestness in his man.
ner, lis the oman turned in?'
Il rather think So" said Tucker, looking
at the compass. "Look out, look out,
Carter! Why, man alive, you're wopoints
to the southland of your course"
BLOW me! So I am" said the man,
bringing the helm smartly aport. "Bnt,
soy, didn't you notice anything peculiar