The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-07-16
A Wife's Dover.


don, knew him to be one of tn,
meanest and most contemptible mer
that ever was permitted to walk th,
earth. His brother Peter was not .
whit better-so that it would appear
that meanness run in the blood o
the family
John was pretty well of, 90 far az
this worlds goods we're concerned.
His property was all invested in a
building which had cost him about
thirty thousand dollars.
He did not marry until he was
trty-I robably from the fear of in
CURING unnecessary expense, and
when. finally he did take a wife. il
was only as he would have taken
him housekeeper, a servant.
Mrs. Gorlo" vas a poor woman
and had been obliged to ~.-L xarr
hard for a living. Probably snIS
married Oh purely prudential consid
erations, for she could not possibly
have loved such AT abortion of a
man ~ John Gordon. She took
good care Of her husband. treated
him better than he deserved, and
WAS in every respect al obedient an |
faithful wife. All she received in
return Was The meager support which
her husbands house afforded her.
When they hal b en- IN ,rried some
three years John was taken sick,
and fingered alonl for a year. during
which time his wife was al excel
lent and Il voted nnrsr. Her whole
al n seemed tn h. 10 discharge her
duties t. her lord with fidelity. She
had made II bargain with him. and
she periorin,i her part OF the con.
tr ,ct with scruyulous cxictnrss.
On, 4 V heard that JOHN Cor
don WAS dead. 1t was Il small loss
{" the community. AMI | could not
tAink oi iItying his wife. for her lot
would certainly he amrliorated by
his departure. She would be enti.
tied to one third OF the income of his
real estate, which Tor a poor woman
"a she had been, and having no lux
urious tastes to crafty, would he a
prlncely stipend.
| neither thought nor heard any
more ol John Gordon or his wife for
two months. when women appear.
al at my Office and introduced her.
sell ss the latter.
"Mine is a very bad case. Mr..
Docket" said she, seating hcrsclf by
my side.
Indeed nalam, thought you
were v"ry comfortably provided for
You have one third OF the income OF
your husbands estate, or about a
thousani dollars a. year"
IL, seems | am not to have this,
she re lied glormily.
Mot to ha, C iti"
Peter Gordon has taken possess.
ion oi the estate, dec airing it belongs
20 him lie says my husband sold
tito hlna few weeks before ne died.
"II,w could thar bei"
Peter showed me- the deed, anC
SAYS It has heen recorded"
DOES hep So much the bette
for you, madam. The law give
one-hali of his personal estate -
"Hut he sold it Tor one dollar" in
terrupted Mrs. Gordon.
He couldn't cell it without you
concurrence. Did you release you
right tn dover in the premisesl'
mo. sir: Peter says did though
aud shows me my name, duly vii
aesse on the deed"
"Dldn'tyou sigu it'"
mo sir"
Then i, is a forgery"
suppose it is."
T." on are confident you did n,
sign your ime to tho deed"
III am very sure di not, and f
a very COOL reason"
CLOVIS thatf
IL cannot write; ! never eve
wrote my name. was brought I
in tue country, where girls did n
get 80 much schooling as now. N
tolks were very poor, and | new
aad a chance to 90 to school" }" repl
ed Mrs. Gordon, with some conf
Siun.
Did your husband know that y
could not WRITE
No, ! never told him"
l dismissed her with the requt
that she would call next day.
went at once to the Registry
Dceds. and found that Mrs. Cord
had told u straight story. Her m
erabls, c,ntemptibIe husband b
given her property to his brother
his last days, 80 as to cheat his wi
who had cared for him 10 health q
nursed him in sickness, Of her j
claim, upon his eststsl,
He was villainl l need not 9
Ifslt . deep interest in the case