The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-02-24
4 WITE,S DOVER.

Everybody who knew John Gordon,
knew him to be one Of the meanest aud
most contemplate men that ever was
permitted to walk the earth. His broth
er Peter was not a whit better-so that
it would appear that moanness ran in
the blood Of the family.
John was pretty well off, so far as this
worlds goods were concerned. His
property was all invested in q building
which had cost him about thirty thous-
and dollars. lie did not marry until
he was forty--probably from tho fear
of incurring unnecessary expense, and
when, finally, he did take a wife, it
was only as be would have taken him
housekeeper, q servant
Mrs. Gordon was q 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 took good care Of her husband,
treated him better than he deserved, and
was in every respect faithful and obe-
dent wife. All she received in return
was the meager support which her hus-
bands house afforded her.
When they had been married some
three years, John was taken sick, and
fingered along for a year, during which
time his wife was an excellent and dcyo.
ted 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 exact
ness.
One day I heard that John Gordon
was dead 1t was a small loss to the
community, and l could not think Of
plying his wifo, for her lot would be
certainly ameliorated by his departure.
She would be entitled to one.third of
the income of his real estate, which, for
a poor woman, as she had been, and
having no luxurious tastes to crafty
would be a princely stipend
neither thought nor heard any more
of John Gordon or his wife for two
months, when a woman appeared at
my Office, and introduced herself as the
latter.
"NIino is a very bad case, Mr.. Dock
ct, said she, seating herself by my side.
Indeed, madam, I thought you
we're very comfortably provided for
You have one-third of the income of
your husbands estate, or about a thous-
and dollars year.
at seems am not to have this, " she
replied gloomily.
"Not to have it?"
"Pe,er Gordon has taken possession
Of the estate, declaring il belongs to
him He says my husband sold it to
him few weeks before he died"
GLOW could that be?'
"Peter showed me the deed, and says
it has been recorded" ."
"Does he? So much the better for
you, madam. The law gives oue-half
of his estate"
"But he sold it for one dollar" in
terrupted Mrs. Gordon
"He couldn't sell it without your
concurrence. Did you release YOU
right to dover in the prcmises?"
mo, sir; Peter says l did, though
and showed me my name, duly witness
cd, on the deed"
Didn't you sign it?'
"No, sir"
"Theu it is forgery"
81 suppose it is"
9, "You arc confident you did not sigr
your name to the deed2"
} 81 am very sure l did not, and for
: very good reason"
? Flows that"
81 cannot write; 1 never even wrot
{ my name, l was brought up in tht
country, where girls did not get s,
much schooling as now My folks wor,
very poor, and / never had a chance t
60 to school, " replied Mrs Gordon, will
much confusion.
"Did your husband know that 20,
could not writer"
"No, never told him."
I dismissed her with the request tha
she would call next day. l went a
once to the Registry of Deeds, and foun,
that Mrs. Gordon had told a straigh
story. Her miserable, contemptibl
/, husband had given her property to hi
brother in his last days, so as to chea
his wife, who had cared for him il
health and nursed him in sickness, Of
her Just claim upon his estate
He was a yillain I need not say
felt deep interest in the case of m,
client, and resolved to bring matters t
an issue at once. The next day, whei
she called, she directed me to her sis
ter, by whom it could be proved tina
Mrs. Gordon could not write her name
and who had seen her make her mari
often, within a very short time.
The person who prolessed to hav
witnessed the signature of Mrs. Cor
don was a clerk in the Office Of Peter
+, My FIRST move was to take steps to ar
rest him on charge Of fraud, and t.
sue his employer for my clients shar
of the rents, which he had just collect
ed, and which he had refused TO pa
over to her,
Whom had proceeded thus far
received a visit from Peter Gordon.
"Whot do you mean, sir?' he aske
o rather sourly.
81 mean to get justice for the widow.
"Her husband was worth nothin
when ho died"
"But his wifo has one Chird interes
in his real estate"
"It was sold 20 me, and she Bigne
away her DOVER