Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-12
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
MAKE YOUR WILL

The Importance OF Legally DIsposInx OF
PrOperty-Ths Trouble Caused in Set
cling tho Estates Of Those Who Die In
testate.
A 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 especially true in
the case of husbands. the law for
widows being neither generous nor
just. Emily S. Bouton. in 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 husband died without max
ing the will which he had always prom
ised her to execute, and by the law
she could have but third of the prop
crty. The remainder went to the
daughter. fair young girl just bios
soming into a most attractive woman
hood. This property consisted solely
of comfortable house and the lot
upon which it stood. The place was
the product of the joint earnings and
savings of husband and wife, who be-
gan life with nothing but strong hands
and hearts devoted to each other.
AT seventeen the daughter. who had
been kept in school by her mother S
untiring labor. married a young ply
Stefan, and he came to live with them
in the old home. By-and-by ho began
to show an arbitrary spirit toward the
mother. which grew at last into abso-
Lutte unkindncss Strange to say. the
daughter joined with him in an en-
deavor to drive her from the home she
had helped to earn. and which was en-
dearcd to her by SO many old associa-
tons. Presently the daughter died,
but not until she had willed her two
thirds to her husband. providing at the
same time that her interest should not
be sold for certain term of years.
The mother could not sell her third,
for no one would buy il SO conditioned,
nor could she live in the same house
with her son-in-law. She could do alb
ssoluteiy nothing. only support herself.
Prematurely old and broken by
trouble rs she was. by the most unin-
permitting toll. while the home she
loved. the place she had helped to
earn. remained in the hands ct
strangers.
Mrs. Margaret w. Campbell gave a
similar case ut the Philadelphia meet
sng. An Iowa woman moved to that
State. when it was new. with her hus-
band They were both young. To-
gct',er they worked to clear the land
to build the Lighthouse; and when a
storm overlook them before the rude
shelter was finished. they knclt to-
gether with clasped hands under the
quilt they had spread to keep of the
rain. and thanked Coz for health and
strength and for each other.
Children came. The wife took care
Of the family. rode on the reaper and
the corn-planter. and checrfully did
the Gcuse-work. By-and-by the farm
Wss paid for. A new. handsome. con-
venient house was built. but the old
Lighthouse was left standing for the
memories it held. Every thing was
prosperous and wen to do. The years
went by. Suddenly the husband died
without will. The sOns-in-iaw and
fhc dauGhters-in-law wanted to have
the property divided SO that they could |
ltsw. their share. aud it was done. The |
whose lifetime of toll had so |
largely contributed to make the prop
crty. was left with the use of one
third. with such Il husband and !
s,ici, a home" she said. Il thought |
had all tue rights l needed. Now l |
know that women need 10 help make |
the l,vs; for their own protection.
Gases like the above are very nu-
merous. They make their own appeal
FOR the ballot for women. In the mean
lime. every man who wishes his wife
10 he protected should protect her by
at once making will.