Year: 1861

During the summer of 1914, the Bri-
tish had not only laid claim to all that
portion of Maine lying east of the Pc
nobscot, but Admiral Griffith and Sir
John C. Sherbrooke, the latter being
then the Governor of Novia Scotia, had
been sent with a heavy force to take
possession, and had occupied the town
of Castine, which place commanded the
entrance to the Penobscot river. Shorty
before the arrival Of the English squad
ron, Commodore Samuel Tucker had
been around to Penobscott Bay for the
purpose Of protecting the American
coasts there, and while the British
sailed up to Castine, he lay with his
vessel at Thomasson.


II was a schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but she was heavy one
and we'll armed and manned, but that
she carried the true Yankee grit upon
her decks the enemy had received from
them rather too many proofs. On the
morning of the 2Sth Of August, mes
seneer came down from Belfast with
the intelligence that the British frigate
was coming from Castine to take him.
Tucker knew the British feared him,
and that Sir John Sherbrooke had Of
fered large amount for his capture.


When the Commodore received this
intelligence his vessel was lying at one
of the low wharves, where he would
have to wait nearly two hours for the
tide to set him off; but he hastened to
have everything prepared to get 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 the
bow line, when a wagon drawn by one
horse came rattling down to the spot
The driver, a rough looking countryman
got out upon the wharf, and then as
sisted d middle aged lady from the We
hicie. The lady's first inquiry was for
Tucker. He was pointed
out to her, and she stepped upon the
schooner deck and approached him.


"Commodore,' she asked, "when do
you sail from here?"


"Right off, as soon as possible,
madam"


ooh, then, know you will be kind
to me, the lady urged in persuasive
tones. "My poor husband died ycster-
day, and wish to carry it to Wiscasset,
where we belong, and where his parents
will take care of it,


"But, my good woman, I shan't go to
Wiscassct."


eff you only land me at the mouth
of the Sneepcup, will ask no more
[ can easily find team there to take
me up.


"Wnere is the body?" asked Tucker.


'ln the wagon" returned the lady, at
the same time raising the corner of her
shawl, to wipe away the gathering tears.
Il have small sum of money with me
and YOU shall be paid for your trouble. y


Tut, tut, woman; if l accommodate
you there wont 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 ta-
king the woman and her strange accom-
paniment on board, yet he could not re-
fuse, and when he had told her he
would do as she requested, she thanked
him with many tears in 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, and beneath
it appeared a neat black coffin. Some
words were passed by the seamen as
they bore the coffin on board which
went to show very plainly that the af
fair did not exactly suit them. 1t may
have been but prejudice on their part,
but yet seamen should be allowed pre-
judice once in while, when we con-
slider the many stern realities they have
to encounter.


"Hush my good men," said the
Commodore, as he heard their MUIR
INJURED remonstrance. suppose some
Of you were to die away from home
would you not wish that your last re
mains might be carried to your loor
parents? Come hurry now


The men said no more, and ere long
the coffin was placed in the hold, and
the woman was shown to the cabin. In
less than half an Lou- the schooner was