Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-09-07
THE DISGUISED WIDOW.

British had laid claim TO all that por
ton of the district of Maine lying cas-
Of the Penobscot. Shortly before the
arrival of the English squadron, Com
modore Samuel Tucker had been SEN
around to Penobscot bay to protect the
American coasters, and while the Brit
ish sailed up to Castine he lay at Thorn
aston.
1t was schooner that the Commo.
dore commanded, but she was heavy
one, we'll armed and manned and she
carried the true Yankee grit" upon
her decks, of which the enemy had re-
ceived from them rather too many
proofs. On the morning of the 2Sth of
August messenger was sent down from
Belfast with the intelligence that the
British fiigate was coming from Castine
TO take him. Tucker knew the British
feared him, and also that Sir John
Sherbrooke had offered a large amount
for his capture.
When the Commodore received the
intelligence his vessel was lying at one
Of the low wharyes. where he would
have 10 wait two hours for the tide
but he FASTENED 10 have everything
ready to get her off as soon rs possible.
The schooner was Just cleared from
the mud, and one Of the men had been
sent upon the wharf 10 cast ofi'the bow.
line, when a wagon, drawn by one
horse, came rafting down to the spot.
The driver, rough looking country
man, got out upon the wharf, and then
assisted middle-aged woman from the
vehicle. The womans first inquiry
was for Commodore Tucker. He was
pointed out TO her, and she stepped up
on the schooner's deck and approached
him.
Commodore" she said, when do
you sail from here ?"
we sail right off rs soon as possible, /
madam"
oh, then, know you will be kind
70 me- she urged in pensive tones.
My poor husband died yesterday and
l wish to carry his corpse to Wiscasset,
where VIC belong, and where his parents
will take care of it."
But my good woman, l shan't 90
TO Wiscasset."
IF you will only land me at the
mouth of the Sheepscot, l will ask no
more. / can easily find boat there
to take me up"
Where is the body" asked the
Commodore.
I'm the wagon replied the woman,
at the same time raising the corner of
her shawl to wipe away the gathering
tears. 81 have some money with me,
and you shall be paid for the trouble"
cut, tut, woman if I accommodate
you, there will not be any pay about
IT,"
The kind-hearted old Commodore I
vas not the man to refuse favor, and
hough he liked not the bother of tax
ng the woman and her strange accom-
'animent on board vet he could not !
efuse.
Some of the men were sent upon the t
iharf to bring the body on board. A n
ong buffalo robe was lifted off by the a
IAN who drove the wagon; beneath it u
ppeared neat black coffin. Some v
lords we're passed by the seamen as /
hey we're putting the coffin on board. f
hitch went to show pretty plainly that Il
he affair did not exactly suit them. il
'ut 1t may have been but prejudice on G
heir part, but the seamen should be f
lowed prejudice once in while, 81
hen we consider the many stern re- W
Iities they have to encounter Ere Sc
ing the coffin was placed in the hold fl
nd the woman was shown to the cabin. st
, less than half an hour the schooner
as cleared from the wharf and stand d
g out from the bay. The wind was p
yht from the eastward, but Tucker
I'd no fear Of the frigate now that she Il
rs once out Of the bay.
In the evening the female passenger Il
me on deck, and the Commodore rs
red her that he should be able to G
nd her early on the next morning.
le expressed her gratitude, and re-
arked that before she retired she al
ould like TO look and see that her M
isbsnd's corpse was safe. This was WI
course granted, and one of the men II
ted off the hatch that she might 20 al
wn into the hold. in