The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-02-24
MAKE YOUR WILL.

great deal OF physical suffering and
mental misery might be prevented if those
who have property to leave would secure
it by will to those who are entitled to it.
and for whom it is intended. This is es-
pecially true in the case of husbands, the
law for widows being neither generous
nor just. Emily S. Bouton, ia the
Toledo BLADE, gives the following fact
Some years ago my heart was wrung by
the sorrows Of poor old lady, whose
story ran something like this: Her bus-
band died without making the will which
he had always promised her to execute.
and by the laws she could have but third
Of the property. The remainder went to
the daughter. fair young girl just bloc
soming into most attractive womanhood
This property consisted solely of COM
Portable house and the lot upon which it
stood. The place was the product of the
joint earnings and savings Of husband and
wife, who began life with nothing but
strong hands and hearts devoted to each
other. At Il the daughter, who had been
kept in school by her mothers untiriag
labor, married young physician, and he
came 10 live it'll then in the old home
By-and-by he began to show an arbitrary
spirit toward the mother, which grew at
last into absolute unkindness Strange to
say, the daughter Joined with him in an
endeavor to drive her from the home she
ltaA l,aIs. 4
deared TO her by so many old associations.
Presently the daughter died, but not I'M
til she had willed her two thirds to her
husband, providing at the same time that
tain term Of years The mother could not
sell her third for DO one would buy it 50
conditioned, nor could she live in the same
house with her sen-in-law. She could do
absolutely nothing, only support herself,
prematurely old and broken by trouble as
she was, by the most unintermitting toll,
while the home she loved, the place she
had helped to earn. remained in the hands
Of strangers >
Mrs. Margaret W. Campbell gave a sim
liar case at the Philadelphia meeting An
Iowa woman moved to that state, when
it was new, with her husband. They were
both young. Together they worked to
clear the land to build the lighthouse; aad
when q storm overlook them before the
rude shelter was finished, they knelt togeth-
er with cIasped hands under the quilt they
had spread to keep off the rain, and thank
ed God for health and strength and each
other.
Children came. The wife took care of
the family, rode on the reaper and the
corn-planter, and cheerfully did the house
work. By-and by tie farm was paid for
A new, handsome, convenient house was
built. but the old log house was left stand
ing for the memories it held. Everything
was prosperous and well to do. The years
went by. Suddenly the husband died
without will The sons-in-law and the
daughters-iG-law wanted to have the prop
erty divided SO that they could have their
share, and it was done. The woman,
whose lifetime Of toll had so largely con-
tributed TO make the property, was left
with the use Of one-third. with such a
husband aud such home, she said, Il
thought / had all The rights l needed.
Now | know that women need TO help
make the laws Tor their own protection. =
Cases like the above are very numerous
They make their own appeal for the ballot
for women. Ia the meantime, every man
who wishes his wife to be protected should
protect her by at once making will
Lucy Stone.