Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-11

you to pay for losing your cause and if |
gain it--but mind do not promise to take it
into court unless I am thoroughly satisfied YOU
have right and equity on your side-I shall
expect much heavier one. Mr.. Barnes, I
VIII see you, if you please, early in the morn
ing" | then bowed, and hastened on
Dinner was not ready when | arrived at
the hotel and during the short time | had
to wait, | more than half repented of having
had anything to do with this unfortunate suit
However, the pleadings of charity, the sug-
gestions of human kindness, reasSerted their
influence and by the time my new clients ar
rived, which they did very punctually at the
hour had indicated, | had quite regained
the equanmty had momentariy lost and,
thanks to mine hosts excellent viands and
generous wine was, for lawyer, in very
amiable aud benevolent humor indeed
Our conference was long, anxious, and un-
satisfactorily. | was obliged to send for
Barnes before it was eonclu led, in order to
thoroughly ascertain the precise nature of the
case intended to be set up by the defendant,
and the evidence likely to be adduced in sup
port of it. No ray of consolation or of hope
came from that quarter. Still, the narrative
| had listened to- bearing as it did the impress
of truth and siucerityin every sentence strong
ly disposed me to believe that foul play had
been practiced by the other side aud | de-
termIned, at all hazards, to go into court,
though with but faint hope indeed of present
sue 'esSfu issue.
% 1t appears more than probable" / remark
ed on dlsmlsslng my clients, that this will is
fabrication but before such question had
been put in issue before jury, some product
BILE evidence of its being so should have been
sought for and obtained As it is can only
watch the defendants proof of the genuine
ness of the instrument upon which he has Oh
tanned pr0bate-oue or more of the attesting
witnesses may, if fraud has been practced,
break down under a searching cross -examina-
ton, or incidentally, perhaps, disclose matter
for further investigation"
g One Of the attesting witnesses is, as |
have already told you, dead" observed Barnes;
land another, Elizabeth Wareing, has, | hear
to-day left the country. An affidavit to that
effect will no doubt, be made to morrow, in
order to enable them to give secondary evi-
dence of her attestation, though, swear as they
may, / have not the slightest doubt | could
find her if time were allowed, and her presence
would at all avail us"
" Indeed This is very important Would
You, Mr.. Barnes, have any objections" | ad-
ded, after a few moments reflection " to make
oath, should the turn of affairs tomorrow
render your doing SO desirable, of your belief
that you could, reasonable time being allowed,
procure the attendance of this woman-this
Elizabeth Wareing 2"
" Not the slightest though how that wo'd
help US to invaldate the will Thorndyke claims
under, do not understand"
'' Perhaps not. At all events do not fail
to be early in court. The case is the first in
to-morrow's list, remember"
The story confded to me was a very sad,
and unfortunately in many of its features,
very common one Ellen, the only child of the
old gentleman, Thomas Ward, had early in
life married Mr.. James Woodley, a wealthy
yeoman, prosperously settled upon his pater-
nal acres, which he cultivated with great dill
gence and success. The issue of this marriage
"a very happy one, was informed-was Ma
ry Woodley, the plaintiff in the present action.
Mr. Woodley, who had now been dead some
thing more than two years, bequeathed the
whole Of his property, real and personal, to
his wife, in full confidence, as he expressed
himself but few hours before he expired,
that she would amply provide for his and her
child The value of the property inherited by
Mrs Woodley under this amounted, according
to valuation made few weeks after the tes-
tators decease, to between eight and nine
thousand pounds.
Respected as widow, comfortable in cir
cumstances, and with daughter to engage
her affections, Mrs Woodley might have pas
sed the remainder of her existence in happiness.
But how frequently do women peril and lose
all by second marriage ! Such was the case
with Mrs Woodey to the astonishment of
everybody she threw herself away on a man
almost unknown in the district-a person of
no fortune, of mean habits, and altogether un
worthy of accepting as husband. Silas
Thorndyke, to whom she thus committed her
happiness had for short time acted rs bai
lift Oh the farm and no sooner did he feel
himself master, than his subserviency vas
changed to selfish Indifference and that gradu-
allv assumed coarser character. He disco
vered that the property, by the will of Mr..
Woodley, was so secured against every chance
or casualty to the use and enjoyment of his
wife, that it not only did not pass by marriage
to the new bridegroom, but she was unable to
ALLEVIATE or divest herself of any portion OF it
during life She could, however, dispose OF
it by will but In the event of her dying in
testate, the whole descended to her daughter,
Mary Woodley.
Incredibly savage was Thorndyke when he
made that discovery and bitter and incessant
were the indignities to which he subjected his
unfortunate wife, for the avowed purpose of
forcing her to make will entirely in his favor,
and of course disnheriting her daughter
These prosecutions failed of their object. An
unexpected, quiet, passive, but unconquerable
resistance, was opposed by the, in all other
things, cowed and submissive woman, to this
demand of her domiDeering husband Her
falling health--for gently nurtured and tender
ly cherished as she had ever been, the callous
brutality of her husband soon told upon the