The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-10-14

WTM
FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA
PAINTING BELIEVED TO BE
THEODOSIA BURR ASTON.
well known physician at Pasquotank
county, North Carolina, was spending
the summer at Nays Head. This is a
watering place on the North Carolina
coast, situated on the Banks" a mar
row strip of land lying between Able
marie sound and the Atlantic ocean.
The denizens of the Banks are prim-
tive folk, and at one time the and
thereabout was infested by pirates. 1t
happened that DR.. Pool was called in
to see a destitute old m named
Mrs. Mann. All her surroundings were
wretched, but on the wall hung a hand
some oil painting out 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, fire.
quently accompanied her father on err
rands of mercy to the poor old invalid.
Both she and her father expressed a
desire to purchase the portrait, but the
patient would not hear of it. 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
Nays Head Hotel to pay her respects
to the doctor and his family. They were
astonished to see her wearing a hand
some 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, as she had no money,
she hoped he would accept the portrait
in payment of his services. The doctor
and his daughter were overjoyed, es-
pecially when she related the circum-
stances under which it had come into
her possession. She had nc 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 asso-
ciates, %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,
supposing she would tack. Instead, she
sailed straight ahead, and in a little
while was beached. The men got into
n 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
lumber of silk dresses were scattered
over the floor. Every indication pointed
to the fact that the persons on boald
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 treas
ure tIove
Such is the story which l obtained
the other day from the lips of Mrs.
Overman, to whom the portrait had de-
scended. / had heard some rumors of
the facts, and, beng in Elizabeth City,
called at Mrs. Overman's residence for
confirmation. She went over the par
ticulars above given, and showed me
the portrait. 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 80 years of age, with
well shaped features, piercing black
eyes, brown hair, slightly tinged with
auburn, and IN olive complexion. The
hair is done up much in the modern
style, high or the head, with comb in
back and frizzed in front.
When the portrait was first present.
ed to him DR.. Pool naturally recalled
the story of Theodosia Burr, and at the
first opportunity compared the portrait
with a we'll authenticated engraving of
Theodosia. Everybody who has ever
made the comparison declares that the
likeness is striking, and while it CAN
not be proven, of course, that this Is a
likeness of Theodosia Burr. the circum-
stantial 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 Eliz-
abeth City to see this famous portrait
and went away pretty we'll convinced
that she had looked upon the portrait
of her lost relative.
Does it not seem as if the story were
true that the Patriot was attacked by
pirates who murdered it's crew and pas
sengers and carried off all the booty
they could conveniently dispose of, and
her sent the boat adrift? If the story
be true, is it all true? Wa Theodosia
also murdered or carried off. as legend
AYERS, to a fate worse than death?