The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-20

the Banks are primitive folk, and at
one time the land thereabout was infest-
ed by pirates. 1t happened that DR.. Pool
was called in to see destitute old
woman named Mrs. Mann. All her sur.
roundings were wretched, but on the
wall hung a handsome oil painting gut
of all keeping with its environments DR..
POOLS daughter, who is now Mrs. John
P. Overman, of Elizabeth City, N c.,
wife of the postmaster of that town,
frequently accompanied her father on
errands Of mercy to the poor old IN
valid. Both she and her father express
ed a desire to purchase the portrait, but
the patient would not hear of this. She
said it had been given to her by her first
husband, a man named Tillett, and she
valued it for his sake. The old lady got
we'll. One day she appeared at the Nag
Head hotel to pay her respects to the
doctor and his family. They were as
tonished to see her wearing a handsome
silk dress of an antique pattern. 1t was
an evening dress, cut short in the waist,
and only reached down half way between
the old lady's shoe tops and her knees.
She had come to tell the doctor that, aa
she had no money, she hoped he would
accept the portrait in payment of his
services. The doctor and his daughter
were oVerjoyed, especially when she re-
IdISu the circumstances unQ61 winch II
had come into her possession. She had
no head for dates, but she remembered
that one calm winters day during the
time of our last war. with England her
first husband (TilletD and some of his
associates, lounging on the beach at
Mays Head, were surprised to see a
smart vessel under full sail making for
the shore
The men watched her with interest,
sailed straight ahead, and in little
while was beached. The men got into
one of their boats and rowed up to her.
They found that all the canvas of the
strange vessel was spread and that her
tiller was dashed. Climbing aboard, they
descended into the cabin. Here a table
was spread with a half finished meal
The berths were unmade. A number of
silk dresses were scattered over the floor.
Every indication pointed to the fact that
the persons on board had hurriedly left
the vessel in the midst of a meal. On the
wall Of the cabin hung the portrait
which fell to her husband, together with
one Of the silk dresses, as his share of the
treasure trove.
Such IS the story which obtained the
other day from the lips of Mrs. Over
man, to whom the portrait has descend
ed. I had heard some rumors of the
facts, and, being in Elizabeth City, called
at Mrs. Overmans residence for con-
frmation. She went over the particulars
above given, and showed me the por-
trait. This is painted on wood about
! eighteen by twenty inches in size and is
| incased In what was once a gilt frame.
! the gliding having been worn away by
| age. 1t represents a woman of about
! thirty years of age, with we'll shaped fea-
| lures piercing black eyes, brown hair,
! slightly tfnged with auburn, and an olive
complexion. The hair is done up much
| in the modern style, high on the head,
with comb in back and frizzed in front.
When the portrait was first presented
TO him DR.. Pool naturally recalled the
story of Theodosia Burr and at the first
| opportunity compared the portrait with
well authenticated engraving of Theo-
! dosia. Everybody who has ever made
the comparison declares that the likeness
Is striking, and while 1t cannot be prov.
en-, of course, that this is a likeness
| of Theodosia Burr the circumstantial
evidence is almost conclusive Not long
| ago a lady who Is connected with the
| Burr family came all the way from one
of the Western cities to Elizabeth City
! to see this famous portrait and went
away pretty well convinced that she had
looked upon the portrait of her lost rela-
| tive.
Does It not seem as If the story were
true that the Patriot was attacked by
! pirates who murdered its crew and pas
sengers and carried off all the booty they
could conveniently dispose of, and then
sent the boat adrift? If the story be
true, is II all true? Was Theodosia also
murdered or carried off, as legend AYERS.
| to q fate worse than death?