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VOL. XV.
THE TIMES.
A. a Independent Family Newspaper,
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The Disguised Passenger.
DURING the summer of 1811 the
British had laid claim to all that
portion of the district of Maine lying
east of the Fenobscot. Shortly before
the arrival of the English squadron,
Commodore Samuel Tucker had been
sent around to Penobscot Bay to protect
the American coasters, and while the
British sailed up to Castine he lay at
Thomaston.
It was a schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but she was a heavy one,
well armed and manned ; and she car
ried the true Yankee "grit" upon her
decks, of which the enemy had received
from them rather too many proofs. On
the morning of the 28th of August a
messenger was seut down from Belfast
with the intelligence that the British
frigate was doming from Castine to take
him. Tucker knew that the British
feared him, and also that Sir John Sher.
brooke had offered a large amount for
his capture.
When the commodore received the
intelligence, his vessel was lying at one
of the low wharves, where he would
have to wait two hours for the tide; but
he hastened to have everthing prepared
to get her 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 off the
bowline, when a wagon, drawn by one
horse, came rattling down to the spot.
The driver, a rough-looking country
man, got out upon the wharf, and then
assisted a middle-aged woman from the
vehicle. The lady's first inquiry was for
Commodore Tucker. He was pointed
out to her, and she stepped upon the
schooner's deck, and approached him.
"Commodore," she asked, "when do
you sail from here?"
"We sail right off' as soon as possible,
madam."
"O, then, I know you will be kind to
me," the lady urged, in persuasive tones.
"My poor husband died yesterday, and I
wish to carry his corpse to Wincasset,
where we belong, and where his parent
will take care of it."
"But, my good woman, I sha'n't go
to Wincasset."
"If you only will land me at the
mouth of the Sbeepscot, I will ask no
more. I can easily find a boat there to
take me up."
"Where is the body ?" asked Tucker.
"In the wagon," returned the lady,
at the same time raising one corner of
her shawl to wipe away the gathering
tears. "I have a sum of money with
me, and you shall be paid for the trou
ble." "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 a favor, aud though
he liked not the bother of taking the
woman and her strange companlment
on board, yet he could not refuse.
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
appeared a neat black coffin. Some
words were passed by the seamen as
they were putting the coffin 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 allowed
a prejudice once in a while, when we
consider the many stem realities they
have to encounter. Ere long the coffin
was placed in the hold, and the woman
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
NEW BLOOMPIELD, IJA.., TUESDAY,
frigate now that she was once out of the
bay.
In the evening the lady passenger
came on deck, and the Commodore as
sured her that he should be able to land
her early on the next morning. She ex
pressed her giatitude, and remarked
that before she retired she should like to
look and see that her husband's corpse
was safe. This was, of course, granted,
and one lifted off the hatch that she
might go down into the hold.
"I declare," muttered Daniel Carter,
an old sailor, who was standing at the
wheel, "she takes on dre'fully !"
"Yes, poor thing 1" said Tucker, as he
heard her sobs and groans.
"D'ye notice what'n eye she's got ?"
continued Carter.
"No," snld Tucker, "only 'twas swol
len with tears."
"My eyes 1 but they shone, though,
when she stood here looking at the
compass."
Tucker smiled at the man's quaint
earnestness, and then went down to the
cabin.
When the woman came up from the
hold, she looked about the deck of the
schooner for a few moments, and then
aft. There was something In her coun
tenance that puzzled Carter. He had
been one of those who objected to the
coffin belug brought aboard. The wo
man's eyes ran over the schooner's deck
with a strange quickness, and Carter
eyed her very sharply. Soon she went
to the taffrail, and then she came and
stood by the binnacle again.
"Look out, or you'll jibe the boom,"
uttered the passenger.
Carter started, and fouud that the
mainsail was shivering. He gave the
helm a couple of spokes aport, and then
cast his eyes again upon the woman.
"Thauk'e, ma'm," Baid Dan. "Ha,
hold on why, bless my soul, there's a
big spider on your hair. No not there.
Here I'll ugh!"
The last ejaculation Dan made as he
seemed to pull something from the wo
man's hair, which he threw upon the
deck with the "ugh" above mentioned.
Shortly after the passenger went be
low, and ere long Tucker came on deck.
"Commodore," said Carter, with a re
markable degree of earnestness in his
manner, "is the 'oman turned in ?"
"I rather think so," said Tucker,
looking at the compass. "Look out,
look out, Carter! Why, man alive,
you're two points to the south 'ard of
your course.
"Blow me! so I am," said the man,
bringing in the helm smartly aport.
"But say, didn't you notice anything
peculiar about the old 'oman ?"
"Why, Dan, you seem greatly inter
ested about her."
"So I am, Commodore, an' so I am
about the coffin, too. Wouldn't it be
well for you and I to overhaul it 1"'
"Pshaw ! you're as scared as a child in
a graveyard!"
"No, not a bit. Just hark a bit. That
'oman ain't no 'oman."
The Commodore pronounced the name
of his satanic majesty in the most em
phatlo manner. -
"It's the truth, Commodore I pur
tended there was a spider on her hair,
and I rubbed my hand agin' her face.
By Sam Hyde, if it wasn't as rough and
bearded as a holy-stone. You see, she
told me as how I'd let the boom jibe if I
didn't look out. I knowed there was no
'oman there, and so I tried her. Call
somebody to the wheel, and let's go and
look at that coffin."
The Commodore was thunderstruck
by what he had heard, but, with a calm
presence of mind that made him what
he was, he set coolly to thinking. In a
few minutes he called one of the men aft
to relieve Carter, and then went down to
look after his passenger. The latter had
turned in, and seem to be sleeping.
Tucker returned, and took Carter to one
side.
"No noise, now, Carter ; follow me,
as though nothing had happened."
"Sartin."
The two approached the main hatch,
and stooped to raise it when Dan's hand
touch a small ball that seemed to have
been pinned up under the break of the
hatch.
"It's a ball of twine," said he.
"Don't touch it, but run and get a
lantern," replied Tucker.
Carter sprang to obey, and when he
returned a number of the men Lad
gathered about the spot. The hatch
was raised, and the Commodore care
fully picked up the ball of twine, and
found that it was made fast to some
thing below. He descended to the hold,
and there he found that the twine ran in
beneath the lid of the coffin. He had no
doubt in his mind now that there was
mischief boxed up below, and sent Car
ter for something that might answer for
a screw-driver. The man 6oon returned
with a stout knife, aud the Commodore
set to work. He worked very carefully,
keeping a bright lookout for the string.
At length the screws were out, and the
lid very carefully lifted from Its place.
"Great Heavens 1" burst from the lips
of the Commodore.
"By Sam Hyde;'' dropped like a
thuuderclap from the tongue of young
Dan.
"God bless you, Dau !" said the Com
modore. I know'd it," muttered Dan.
The two men stood for a moment and
gazed into the coffin. There was no
dead man there, but in place thereof was
material for the death of a score. The
coffin was filled with gunpowder and
pitch wood ; upon a light frame work in
the centre were arranged four pistols,
all eocked, and the string entering the
coffin from without communicated with
the triggers of each.
The first movement of the Commo
dore was to call for water, and when it
was brought he dashed three or four
bucketfuls into the infernal contrivance,
aud then he breathed more freely.
"No, no," he uttered, as he leaped
from the hold. "No, no, my men. Do
nothing rashly ; let me go into the cabin
firBt."
Commodore Tucker strode into the
cabin ; walking up to the bunk where
his passenger lay, and grasping hold of
the female dress, be dragged its wearer
out upon the floor. There was a sharp
resistance, and the passenger drew a
pIstol,but It was quickly knocked away ;
the gown came forth from the remnants
of calico and linen.
The fellow was assured that his whole
plot had been discovered, and at length
he owned that it had been his plan to
turn out in the course of the night and
get hold of the ball of twine; then be
intended to have gone aft, carefully un
winding the string as he went along,
then to have got into the boat, cut the
falls, and, as the boat fell into the water,
he would have pulled smartly upon the
twine.
"Aud I think you know," he contin
ued, with a wicked look, "what would
have followed. All I can say is that
I'm sorry I didn't do it."
It was with much difficulty that the
Commodore prevented his men from
killing the villain on the spot. He
proved to be one of the enemy's officers,
and he was to have a heavy reward if
he succeeded in destroying the Commo
dore and his crew.
The prisoner was carried on deck, aud
lashed to the main-rigging.
"What a horrid death that villain
meant for us !" uttered Carter.
"Yes, he did," said Tucker, with a
shudder. ,
"He belongs to the same gang that's
been a robblu' and burnin the poor
folks houses on the eastern coast," said
one of the men.
"Yes," said the Commodore, with a
nervous twitch of the muscles about his
mouth.
A bitter curse from the prisoner now
broke on the air, and with clenched fist
the Commodore went below.
In the morning, when Tucker came
on deck, Seguin was in sight upon the
starboard bow, but when he looked for
the prisoner he was gone.
"Carter, Where's the villain I lashed
here last nlghtV"
"I'm sure I don't know where he is
Commodore. Perhaps he jumped over
board." The old Commodore looked sternly in
Carter's eyes, and he saw a twinkle of
satisfaction gleaming there. He hesita
ted a moment; then he turned away,
and muttered to himself:
"Well, well, I can't blame them. If
be is dead, it is only what he deserved.
ZMTA man Isn't fit to be the controller
of the columns of a newspaper unless he
has a strong spinal column of bis own.
C9rThere are as good horses drawing
in carta as In coaches ; and as good men
engaged in humble employments as in
the highest.
JSTOVEM13Elt 21, 1881.
A HITCH AT A WEDDWMJ.
11 T HATE to see a hitch in a wed
JL din'," remarked a farmer from out
Jamacla, way, as he dropped into the
Hafle,8 counting room with a nuptial
notice; "It looks bad, and it makes
talk."
"Anything wrong about this wed
ding V" asked the clerk, as he made
change for the old man.
"Nothing positively wrong, but it
didn't launch like I want to see things
of that kind. You seen by the notice
that Buck Thomas was marryln' Mary
Biff, and at one time we began to think
they never would get through that cere
mony." "What was the hitch ?"
"Why, Buck is a Methodist and
Mary is a 'Piscopalian, and as one want
ed one service and the other another,
tbey patched up some kind of a scheme
to have both. Neither would go to the
I other's church but each bad their own
minister and the weddin' came off in
the school house. The 'Plscopal min
ister married Mary, and the Methodist
undertook to marry Buck, and there
they was takin' alternate whacks at the
thing and neither payin' any attention
to the other. The Methodist brother
tired off a sermon first, and the bride
sat down and went to sleep. Then the
'Piscopalian said as how we'd all drop,
ped in to see the woman J'lned, but he
wouldn't say who to, and wanted to
know if there was any objections. That
started up the Methodist, who asked
Buck if he knew what solemn business
he was peggin' at, and if he really
meant trade. All that time the 'Pisco
palian was howlin' 'round about this
woman, and Mary was sayln' she'd do
this, that and the other thing. The
Methodist was a marryln' away on his
Bide, and finally they brought up agin'
a stump."
"How's that V" asked the clerk.
"Well, the 'Plsoopallan wouldn't rec
ognized Buck or his minister, and the
Methodist wouldn't have anything to
do with Mary or her minister, and th&e
was no way of gittin' . 'em together.
Everything was already except askln'
them if they'd take each other, and
neither of 'em would do it. Mary and
Buck was standln' band in hand, and
the crowd was gettin' hungry."
"How did they get through it'i"'
"They had to compromise. They
wrangled around for a time and finally
Buck spoke up of his own accord and
said he'd take Mary for his wedded
wife, and Mary chipped in and said
she'd take Buck for her husband. At
that we all cheered and hollered. But
there they plumped on another snag."
"In what respect?" inquired the
clerk.
"Because there was no one to pro
nounce them man and wife. Buck
tried to reason Mary into lettin' the
Methodist do that part, and Mary argu
ed with Buck and tried to persuade him
to listen to her preacher ; but it was no
use. That brought on another row,
and as it was gittin' nigh unto dark we
all felt that something ought to be done,
as we'd been there most all day."
"Well, did they get married ?" asked
the tired clerk.
"Yes, we fixed it up. The ministers
were gettin' purty mad at each other,
but they agreed that they'd each attend
to their own flock, so the Methodist
said, 'I pronounce you man,' and the
'Piscopalian said, 'I now pronounce
you wife,' and they let it go at that.
Then Buck paid the Methodist, and the
'Piscopalian wanted to know where he
came in. Buck said he'd hired his man
and paid him,and,as he was not respon
ble for his wife's foolishness before mar
riage, her parson could whistle for his
wealth. I guess there'll be a lawsuit
about it, for the 'Piscopalian says he'll
have half of that 11' dollars if it takes a
leg short off to the armpit. I don't like
to see them hitches at weddlns. It don't
look right and it ain't business."
With which reflection the old man
pocketed his change and drove off in
deep meditation.
t3fA country paper in Illinois says,
among its local items : "No word has
yet been heard of Abraham Lever, who
went off two weeks ago with bia wife's
red-headed hired girl. Until his return
his Sabbath school class will be in charge
of the Rev. Mr. Perkins,"
NO. 43.
Resources to Draw on.
Mr. Webster used to tell with great
sestan incident in his professional life,
to illustrate how past studies may prove
of great service In an emergency. While
practising in New Hampshire, a black
smith employed him to defend a will con
test. The case was such a complicated
one that he was obliged to order books
from Boston at an expense of fifty dollars
in order to acquaint himself with and to
settle the legal principles Involved. He
won the case, and as the sum Involved
was small, charged fifteen dollars for
services, and was therefore largely out of
pocket. Many years after, when passing
through New York, he was consulted by
Aaron Burr.
" I have a very perplexing case," said
Mr. Burr, " which I cannot disentangle.
I know I am right, but see no way of
proving it in court."
Mr. Webster listened, and found the
principles identical with his early case.
He stated them in such a luminous
way that Mr. Burr excitedly asked
"Have you been consulted before Mr.
Webster?"
"No, sir, I never heard of the case
until you mentioned it."
"How is it possible that you could un
ravel such a case at sight, when I had
given many hours of anxious study to it
in vain ?"
Mr. Webster enjoyed his perplexity,
but finally relieved him by a statement
of the facts. A great sum was at stake,
and Mr. Webster received a fee of one
thousand dollars to ballance his former
loss.
The uioralof this Incident is that what
ever is worth doing at all is worth doing
well. Mr. Webster, when a young law
yer, acted on this maxim, and this laid
the foundation of his greatness a9 a
lawyer.
The Best Memorandum Book.
After all, the brain is the best memo
randum book ; it is always at hand, use
enlarges its capacity and increases its
usefulness and reliability, and no one
can read It but its owner. Once let the
brain get into a receptive and retentive
way, and it will go on gathering and
holding Information without any effort
on the part of him, who carries it about,
and before he knows it he will have a
stock of valuable and Immediately avail
able facts that will distance the best kept
set of memorandum books ever written.
A trained hand is a good thing, but a
trained head is better and scarcer. People
talk about being blessed with a good
memory. Any man who has ordinary
mental capacities can bless himself with
that useful article if he will but try.
Don't rely on fictitious aids. Don't try
to remember a thing by remembering
something to remember it by. That is
clumsy and roundabout. Strive to re
member the thing Itself, and if you will
but persevere, you will find that it isn't
so difficult after all.
Oregon's Strange Lake.
Several of our citizens returned last
week from the great sunken lake situated
In the Cascade mountains about seventy,
five miles northeast from Jacksonville.
This lake rivals the famous valley of
Slnbad the Sailor. It is enough to
average 2000 feet down to the water all
around. The depth of the water is un
known and its surface is smooth and un
ruffled as it is so far below the surface of
the mountains that the air currents do
not affect it. Its length Is estimated at
twelve or fifteen miles and its width ten
or twelve. It lies still, and mysterious
in the bosom of the everlasting hills,
like a huge well scooped out by the
hands of the giant genii of the moun
tains in the unknown ages gone by, and
around it the primeval forest watch
and ward are keeping. The visiting
party fired a rifle into the water several
times at an angle of forty-five degrees
and were able to note several seconds of
.time from the report of the gun until
the ball struck the water. Such seems '
Incredible, but it is vouched for by our
most reliable citizens. The lake is cer
tainly a most remarkable curiosity. Ex.
Successors by Faith.
Love begets love; faith generates faith;
lofty lives nourish the germs of exalted
life in others. There Is a spiritual birth.
John was the successor of the spirit of
Elias. Luther was the offspring of the
mind of Paul. We are children of Abra
ham if we share in the faith of Abraham; '
we are the successors of the Apostle if 1
we have a spirit Bimllar to theirs.
W. JioberUon.