The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-02-26
THE wIFE's DOVER.
BY RETIRED ATTORNEY.


temptible men that ever was permitted to
walk the earth. His brother Peter was not a
whit better-so that it would appear that
meanness ran in the blood of the family.
John was pretty well of, so far as this
worlds goods were concerned. His property
was oil invested in building which had cost
him about thirty thousand dollars. He did
not marry until he was forty, probably from
the fear Of incurring unnecessary expense;
and when, finally, he did take wife, it was
only as he would have taken him house
keeper, q servant.
Mrs. Gordon was poor woman, and had
been obliged to work very hard for living.
Probably she married on purely prudential
considerations, for she could not possibly
have loved. such an abortion of man as
John Gordon. She made mistake but sho
meant right. She took good care of her hus-
band, treated him better than he deserved,
and was In every respect an obedient and
faithful wife. All she received in return was
the meagte support which 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 IN excellent and devoted nurse. Her
whole aim seemed to be to discharge her
duties To her lord with fidelity. She had
made bargain with him, and she performed
her part of the contract with scrupulous ex-
| actness.
One day heard that John Gordon was
dead. II was a stnall loss TO the community
and could not think of plying his wife, for
her lot would certainly be ame!orated by his
departure. She would be entitled to one
:hird Of the income Of his real estate, which,
for poor woman, as she had been, and hav-
ing no luxurious tastes to crafty, would be
princely stipend.
neither thought nor heard any more of
John Gordon or his wife for two months,
when woman appeared at my office and in
troduced herself as the latter.
"Aline is very bad case, Mr.. Docket" said
she, seating herself by my side.
"Indeed, madam, ! thought you were very
comfortably provided for. You have one
third of the income of your husbands estate,
or about thousand dollars year."
at seems am not to have this" she re-
piled, gloomly.
"Not TO have i'll"
sPeter Gordon has taken possession Of the
estate, declaring il belongs TO him. He says
my husband sold il to him few weeks before
he died"
"How could that be!'
aPeter showed me the deed, and says il has
been recorded"
"Does hel So much the better for you
madam. The law gives one.half Of his per-
sonal estate----"
"Bu. he sold it for one dollar" interrupted
Mrs. Gordon.
"He could not sell it without your concur
renee. Did you release your right to dover
in the premises?"
mo, sir; Peter says ! did, though, and
shows me my name, duly witnessed, on The
deed"
"Didn't you sign it 7"
"No, SIR"
"Then it is forgery"
"Isuppose it is."
"You are confident you did not sign you
name to the deed!"
al am very sure did not, and for a very
good reason"
allows that |"
81 cannot write; never even wrote my
name. was brought up in the country
where girls did not get so much schooling nj
J now. My folks were very poor, and neve
had chance to 60 to schools" replied Mrs
Gordon, with some confusion.
"Did not your husband know that yol
could not wrte2"
"No; never told him."
dismissed her with the request that sh
would call the nex. day. Invent at once t
the Registry of Deeds, and found that Mrs
Gordon had told a straight story. Her miser
4, able, contemplate husband had given hi
property to his brother in his last days, so n
T TO cheat his wife, who had cared for him il
health, and nursed him in sickness, Of he
Just claim upon his estate!
He was a villain! need not say felt
deep interest in the ease of my Silent, and re
solved to bring matters to an issue at oDce.-
> The next day, when she called, she directe
= me TO her sister, by whom II could be prove
that Mrs. Gordon could not write her nam'
who ha6 seen her make her mark oftei
. within very short time.
The person who professed TO have Wi
messed the signature Of Mrs. Gordon was
= clerk 10 ,he Office of Peter. My FIRST NOV
was to take steps to arrest him on a chare
D of fraud, and to sue his employer for m
j clients share of the rents, which he had ju,
n collected, and which he had refused to pa
over to her.
: + When had proceeded Thus far, receive
q a visit from Peter Gordon.
"What do you mean, sir !" he asked faih'
y sourly.
d 81 mean to get Justice fot the widow"
n "Her husband was worth nothing when
! died."