The Ridgefield Tavern and its belongings in her absence were to be administered upon by a trusted agent, who was to fulfill with religious scruple her one special wish, under no circumstances to trouble her with any matter pertaining to the old hostelry while away. 1 The Loss of the "Calistro" at Sea "Methinks at times I see thee beckon to me, Oft in blissful dreams thy sweet eyes woo me; SOM OME years had now elapsed since the death of the parents of Sarah Bishop. There was quite a stir about the Ridgefield Tavern. Just a few days previously the news got about that the mistress of the Tavern had decided on an European trip. They were to take passage on the "Calistro," bound for the south of France. Sarah's only companion was her colored maid, Agathy. It was variously remarked upon because the apathy which usually accompanied deep grief had characterized her actions since the death of Colonel Johnson. Her beauty had become of the melancholy and spirituelle type, her dark, mournful, soul-lit eyes showed the deeper soul-like dwelling on heavenly matters. After the shock of her deep bereavement had somewhat lessened the ardor of her village lovers grew apace. Among the more ardent and persistent of these was a young man by name Joshua Kynge, one of the most eligible of the town, in good looks, worldly possessions and education; had had the advantage of several seasons at the King's College (now Columbia University), one of the foremost colleges of the day. He laid siege to Sarah's heart most persistently-rarely a day passed but what he saw the mistress of the Tavern on one or another pretext. His object was apparent to every one, except Sarah, who received him in a patient, friendlike way that only seemed to make his passion burn with more warmth. One day when he could contain himself no longer he proposed for the hand of the mistress of the Tavern. She waited patiently until he finished and then replied in a surprised, incredulous tone, as if he did not already know that she had no heart to bestow, that it lay in the grave of the colonel. She made this perfectly clear in a simple, matter-of-fact way withont any dissemble. After she stated her reason he still persisted and told Sarah he would try and win her love by long devotion and tenderness. She mournfully shook her head and told him it could never be; she would never marry; she could not give that which every true husband deserved-the whole love of a true heart. He continued to plead his suit, but in vain. She was sincerely sorry for him, the more so as she thought of the love she had lost and how painful it would be to love so much as Master Kynge without any return of his passion, nor would there ever be. This circumstance she thought was very hard to bear and she pitied him and treated him with more kindness, which he misconstrued, from time to time, for a growing feeling of friendliness that might eventually ripen into love. He, therefore, instead of losing hope, thought by constancy and devotion to win her consent-and afterwards her love. It was, therefore, with some shock he learned of Sarah's determination to travel abroad. She made very little preparation. She left the Tavern in charge of a trusted manager. A couple of weeks after the "Calistro" sailed from her American port, the town of Ridgefield was agitated from centre to circumference by the news of the disaster at sea in which, during a severe storm, a vessel, driven many miles out of her course by the violence of the elements, foundered and sunk, and nearly every soul on board was lost. Another vessel, but a short time after, sailing over the same course, picked up at sea an open boat with the name "Calistro" on its gunwale, and floating about for many miles pieces of wreckage of a vessel. The vessel had stopped in her course and made diligent search for any survivors of the wreck that might be floating about. Many bodies, some lashed to spars and other pieces of the ill-fated vessel, were found, but no survivors. Among the ship's dead diligent search was made for Sarah Bishop and her colored maid, but it was without result. Waiting for some months to hear from the nearest points to the wreck to see if any had been rescued or found by other vessels, the search was given up and even for a few years inquiries were made from time to time, but with negative results. One and all who heard the ill tidings were agreed that Sarah Bishop's troubled spirit had sought the peacefulness for which she had so much. longed. Her estate was administered by the nearest of kin—an aunt on her father's side-who until now resided on Long Island, their claim being approved they took possession of the Ridgefield Tavern with its belongings. The money had been taken on the long journey and it was reasonable to suppose had shared the fate of its mistress. There was much sorrow and mourning at the untimely fate of the young mistress of the Tavern. Many a heart of the sterner sex felt the acute pangs of grief, no one more deeply than our friend and townsman, Master Joshua Kynge, the depth and length of whose mourning was of long duration, nor would his lonely heart be comforted by the smiles of any other maiden although there were many that would have undertaken the task of lessening his grief by matrimonial blandishments. After many trials and for a long time, various were the attempts and lengthy was the siege laid to his heart, but it would not capitulate but resisted during the course of a long life in which he led a secluded and lonely existence. |