at body that he usually bore the mark of a blow on his
forehead, to show that he had lately attempted to go through a door
that was too low. He accounted for himself only as far as his eyes,
and in groping between decks, or under garret or storehouse eaves, the
poor man was constantly exposing the superfluous portion of his frame
to severe usage. His hats were always more or less damaged. He was
altogether unaware of the natural dignity of his appearance, and bore
himself with great honesty and simplicity, as became a small and timid
person. But little Captain Witherspoon had a heart of fire. He spoke
in a loud and hearty voice. He was called "The Captain" by his
townsfolk, while other shipmasters, active or retired, were given
their full and distinctive names of Captain Crowe, Captain Eli
Proudfit, or Captain Asa Shaw, as the case might be.

Captain Asa Shaw was another aspirant for the hand of Mrs. Maria Lunn.
He had a great deal more money than his rivals, and was the owner of a
tugboat, which brought a good addition to his income, since Longport
was at the mouth of a river on which there was still considerable
traffic. He lacked the dignity and elegance of leisure which belonged
to Captains Crowe and Witherspoon, but the fact was patent that he was
a younger man than they by half a dozen years. He was not a member of
one of the old Longport families, and belonged to a less eminent
social level. His straight-forwardness of behavior and excellent
business position were his chief claims, besides the fact that he was
not only rich, but growing richer every day. His drawbacks were the
carping relatives of his late wife, and his four unruly children.
Captain Crowe felt himself assured of success in his suit, because he
was by no means a poor man, and because he owned the best house in
town, over which any woman might be proud to reign as mistress; but he
had the defect of owing a home to two maiden sisters who were envious
and uneasy at the very suggestion of his marrying again. They
constantly deplored the loss of their sister-in-law, and paid
assiduous and open respect to her memory in every possible way. It
seemed certain that as long as they could continue the captain's habit
of visiting her grave, in their company, on pleasant Sundays, he was
in little danger of providing a successor to reign over them. They had
been very critical and hard-hearted to the meek little woman while she
was alive, and their later conduct