Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-04-10
WARlG
The Wife,s Dover.
nY 4 KETIRED ATTOnNEY

walk the earth. His brother Potter was not
Il whit better; 80 that it would appear that
mcannoss ran in the blood of the family.
John was pretty well off SO far as this
worlds goods were concerned His proper
ty was all invested in building which had
cost rim about thirty thousand dollars. lie
did not marry till he was forty, probably from
the fear of incuring Unnecessary expense:
and whom finally, he did take wife, it was
only as he would have taken him house
keeper-0 servant
Mrs. Gordan was poor woman and had
been obliged to work vcry hard for a living.
Probably she married on purely prudential
considerations, for she could not possibly
have loved such an abortion of man as John
Gordon. She took care of her husband, trca-
ted him better than he deserved, and was i'm
every respect an obedient and faithful wife
All She received in return was the mcugrc
support her husbands house afforded her.
When they had been married some three
years John was taken sick, and fingered a.
long for n year, during which time his wife
was an excellent and devoted wife. Her
whole aim seemed to be to discharge her du-
ty to her lord with fidelity. She had made
abargain with him, and she performed her
part OF the contract with scrupulous exact
ness.
One day heard that John Gordon was
dead. 1t was u small loss to the community,
and could not think of plying his wife, for
her lot would certainly be ameloratcd by his
departure. She would be entitled to one
third &C the income of his real estate, which
for poor woman, as shehad been, and hav-
ing no luxurious tastes to crafty, would be
princcIy stipend.
neither thought nor heard any moro of
John Gordon or his wife for two months,
when woman appeared ut my Office and in
troduced herselfas the latter.
. Mine is very bad case, Mr.. Docket"
said she seating herself by my side.
" Indeed" madame, / thought you were
very comfortably provided for. You have
onc-third of the income of your husbands es-
tate, or about thousand dollars year"
=" 1t seems an not to have this" she re-
piled gloomily.
"Not to have it?"
:" Peter Gordon has taken possession of the
estate, declaring it belongs to him. lie saws
my husband, sold it to him few weeks be-
fore he died"
How could thatbo?"
Peter showed me the deed, and saysit has
been recorded"
Docs he? So much the better for you,
madame The law gives onc-halfof his per-
sonal estate"
g But he sold it for one dollar" Interrupt
ted Mrs. Gordon
renee. Did you release Your right to dover
iii the premises ~ $3.50
No, sir; Peter says [ did, though and
shows me my name, duly witnessed, on the
decd"
Did you sign it?"
"No, Sir"
Then it is II forgery"
g suppose it is"
You are confident you did not sign your
name to the decd?"
II am very sure did not, and for a very
good reason"
llow's that?"
cannot write; | never even wrote my
name. 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 go to school," replied Mrs.
Gordon, with some confusion.
Did your husband know you could not
write ?'''
No I never told him"
dismissed her with the request that she
would call the next day [ went at once to
the Registry of Deeds, and found that Mrs.
Gordon had told straight story. Her mis-
erable, contemplate husband had given his
property to his brother in his last days. so MS
to cheat his wife, who had cared for him in
health, and nurscd him in sickness of her
just claim upon his estate
lie was a william Ineed not say felt n
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 to her sister, by whom it could be proved
that Mrs. Gordon could not write her name;
who had seen her make her mark often, with
in very short time.
The person who professed to have witness
cd the signature of Mrs. Gordon was clerk
in The Office of Peter. My first move was to
take steps to arrest him on a charge of fraud,
and to sue his employer for my clients share
of the rents, which he had just collected and
which he had refused to pay over to her.
When had proceeded thus far, received
visit from Peter Gordon.
What do you mean, sir ?".he asked rath-
er sourly.
:" mean 70 get justice for the widow"
Her husband was worth nothing when
he died" =
But his wife has one-third interest in his
real estate"
II was sold to me and she signed away
her right to dover"
"Did she?"
Certainly she did"
Did you see her sign"
70 he sure did go did my olerk."
There is q warrant out fer tho arrest of
your clerk; andI have some hopes that ne
viii turn States evidence, and convict his
principal" t8as
lie startcds 3ae fiith astonishment and
terror $3.50 - lf Z.
igtl don't sIeFstand you 20 he stamcr-
e ~, 81