Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-01
THE WIFE,S DOVER,
By RETIRED ATTORNEY.

him TO be one of the meanest and most contamp-
uole men that ever was permitted to walk the
earth. His brother Peter was not whit better;
80 that it would appear that meanness ran in
the blood of the family.
John was pretty we'll off 80 far as this world 8
goods were concerned. His property was all
invested in building which had cost him about
thirty thousand dollars. He did not marry till
ne was forty probably from the fear of incur
ring unnecessary expense; and when, finally. he
did take wife, 1t was only as he would have
taken him a hOusekeeper-s servant
Mrs. GordOn was q poor woman, and had been
obliged to work very hard for a living. Prob
ably she married on purely prudential consid-
erations, for she could not possibly have loved
such an abortion Of a man as John Gordon.
She took z yod care of her husband. treated him
better than he deserved, and was in every re-
spect An obedisnt and faithful wife. All she
received In return was the meagre support her
husbands house afforded her
When they had been married some three
years John was taken sick, and fingered along
for year, during which time his wife was an
excellent and devoted wife. Her whole aim
seemed to be to discharge her duty to her lord
with fidelity. She had made bargain with
him, and she performed her part of the contract
with scrupulous exactness
One day beard that John Gordon was dead
Itwas small loss to the community, and could
not think Of pitying his wife, for her lot would
a certainly be ameliorat ted by his departure. She
his real estate, which, for poor woman, as she
mad been, and having no luxurious tastes to
gratlfy, would be princely stipend.
L neither thought nor heard any more of
John Gordon or his wife for two months, when
woman appeared at my office and introduced
herself as the latter.
Mine is a very bad case, Mr.. Docket" said
she, seating herself by my side
Indeed, madame, | thought you were very
comfortably provided for. You have one third
Of the income of your husbands estate or
about q thousand dollars a years"
1t seems | am not to have this, " she replied
goomily.
Not to have %
Peter Gordon has taken possession of the
estate, declaring 1t belongs to him. He says
my husband sold it to him few weeks before
he died
81 How could that be ?'
Peter showed me the deed, and says it has
been recorded
a. Does he? So much the better for you,
madame. The law gives one-half of his per-
But be sold it for one dollar, y interrupted
Mrs Gordon
He could not sell it without your concur
renee. Did you release your right to dover in
the premises ~
No, sir; Peter says 1 did, though, and
deed"
Did you sign ?"
Then it is a forgery"
suppose il is
You are confident you did not sign your
am very sure did not, and for very
good reason
"How's that"
Z" cannot write; 1 never even wrste nv
name l was brought up in the country,
where girls did not get so much schooling as now
My folks were very poor, and never had
chance to 90 to school, replied Mrs. Gordon
with some confusion.
Did your husband know that you could not
write ,'
No; / never told him.
dismissed her with the request that she
would call the next day 1 went at once to
the Registry of Deeds, and found that Mrs
Gorton had told a straight story. Her miser-
able, contemplate husband had given his
property to his brother in bis last days, 50 as
to cheat his wife, who had cared for him in
health, and nurssd him in sickness, of her lust
claim upon his estate
lie was villain, | need not say felt a
deep interest in the case of my client, and
resolved to bring matters to an issue at once.
The next day, when she called, she directed me
10 her sister, by whom IL could be proved that
Mrs. Gordon could not write her name who
had seen her make her mark often. within a
very short time.
The person who professed to have witnessed
the signature of MIR. Gordon, was a clerk in
the office OF Peter My FIRST move was to tIke
steps TO arrest him on a charge Of fraud, and
TO sue his employer for my clients share of
the rents, which be had just collected, and
which be had refused to pay over to her
When had proceeded thus far, received
visit from Peter Gordon
. What do you mean, sir 2'' he asked rather
sourly.
- L mean to get justice for the widow
Her husband WAS worth nothing when he
died.
But his wife has one third interest in his
real estate
- 1t was sold to me; and che signed away
her right to dover
" Did shc ~
Certainly she did -
- Did you see her sign 2'
- TO bc sure | did So did my clerk"
There Is warrant out for the arrest of
your clerk and have some hopes that he will
turn States evidence, and convict his princi-
pal"
He started back with astonishment and ter
"I-I dom understand you - he stammered
out
:. Don't trouble yourself about it. Mr.. Cor
don, you will understand it all in good time
4" For God sake, don L arrest my clerk. lie
will be the ruin Of me, groaned he.
" You should have thought of that before"
said
lou don mean To- say that everything
ism all right about my brothers Affairs Be
cause, If II isn't will make it right, you know"
he whincd in duplicating tones
You say you saw Mrs. Gordon sign that
deed l'
p" Wen-no; not exactly; but suppose she
signed it.
You don know she didn't"
- How should | know
She can't write She never even wrote
her name in her life -
Gracious 80
preset the rascal closely, and made him
acknowledge that his clerk had signed the
name for a consideration. would have caused
both of them TO be sent to the State Prison, if
Mrs. Gordon had not begged me spare them.
As IT was, L secured the entire income of the
estate for my client, and charged my bill to
Peter who Was but too Glad to nav IL