Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1882-08-25
Home Talks.

Home Talks.
The law has some very curious and
devious ways, and queer things often
happen under its operations. One oc-
cured the o.her day down near larry
town, New York, which had an element
OF the pathetic in it. 1t resulted in the
driving forth from the home she had
occupied for IS years, of an old woman
of 70. after long continued effort of
over 20 years.
Itseems that she and her husband
bought 100 acres of land, built small
house upon it, and lived happily there
in for some years when tie latter
died and left his wife with three little
children. A year or two after his death
Mrs Baxter received notice that he had
placed a mortgage of $500 upon the
property without her knowledge. Not
having signed. she repudiated it. 1t
was toreclosed and the place sold for
$4,000. She refused to accept her
dover in cash. and 1t was placed SUBJ
ject to her order with the County Treas
urer. where it still lies. This was more
than 20 years ago, and though she was
sued tor trespass in remaining in the
house, and judgment obtained against
l.er in various suits, the fact of her not
having drawn the money prevented
the completion OF proceedings, and she
and her family stayed on in their home.
In an evil day, however, she was per-
suaded to draw the interest, and as
that was virtual acknowledgement Of
the legality of the sale, judgement Sas
again obtained, and the officers
went to the house in her absence, put
all the furniture out in the road and the
owner took possession. When the old
lady returned and found what had been
done, she fell senseless to the ground
and was with difficulty resuscitated.
In her old age she was homeless.
The story is ofinterest only because
it paints the folly of which so many
men are guilty, of keeping their wives
and daughters in absolute ignorance of
their business. This man undoubtedly
believed that he would be able to pay
off the mortgage without his wife know
ing and being troubled by it. Troubled
she certainly would have been, for
women have an invinclble repugnance
to placing a mortgage upon their homes,
and we'll they may have, for too often
they vanish in thin air just this way.
Death is no respecter of persons nor
does he p ay any attention to the pay
ment of debts. Had this woman known
of the existence of such claim against
what she thought was clearly her own,
the spirit and determination shown in
this long legal fight against what she
deemed injustice would have stood her
in good stead in finding means to pay
off the indebtedness. Her husbands
mistake in keeping her in ignorance
has cost her years of bitterness and fin
ally rendered her homeless in her old
age.
It's such things as these that strength
en- the cry against women beng treat
ed as either pets, playthinss, or simply
as housekeepers, kept in ignorance OF
what may be of the most vital interest
to them in some unlocked for future.
1t is true that they are often them
selves to blame, in their quiet accep-
lance of this state of things, but it is
also true tina. the large majority o. men
appear to have an intense dislike to
giving the one most interested any.
thing except the most eaneral lnfcr-
nation in regard tc their business af-
fairs, and it is this that so often brings
such misery to their families when they
are unexpectedly obliged to lay down
the burden of life.-Ed Household