The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1895-07-23
HER SiL(ER SPOONS.
TssS REMAINED Her PROPERTY. gUT
wsa5 WAY Costly.

After Buying Thor, 5hrcs Tipars She re
Snsed't, R,ss Them Any Mora Little
story Teerips or t,s t,uestioc o, ,hc
vife's t'roperts flights,
The following stury was hold II a pa
rnr read by lIrs. NJ J. Co;ceshaIi at n
meeting of tho Womans Suffrage SO.
riety uf Des Moiues and published in
The Saturday Review of that city:
Today, whoif we women have not ont.
GROWN tho pretty fad of collecting SOU
renir spoons. tho great variety and
beauty Of which were unknown to onr
rraudmothers, allow rue 90 recall tho
story ut great aunt of ours who also
loved spoons bat whose plain cupboard
drawer contained Hose,s Of dainty after
dinner coifees like these from which we
1--we TO sip as we sit il cur clubs and
talk of culture.
This aunt when n young woman was
u teacher IN "a country school until shu
had saved enough money to indulge her
great desire for set of silver spoons.
She was married soon after - the young
man of her choice. Six years passed hy
years of hard work and economy for
both. happy years, though no children
had coma TO bless their union-when by
a sudden Illness the husband was taken
away. The day after the funeral tke
Hrieved wife was surprised by the en-
trance TO her home Of the two hrotheri
of her husband. bringing with them tbG
village lawyer. They told her they had
come to sets value uPc1i their brother g
property, in ot6er that she might know
what part of It was hers. -
She held her peace as they set dow
the worth of each article of furniture il
the little home, until they Ina!ly cane
10 the box of spoons.
Then she spoke and said: "TheSe are
mine. bought them with my own
money befo-e was married. +"
"Yes, ma'am,' said the lawyer,
r'bpt you know, ira am, that after q n
dy IS married everything belongs in law
10 her husband. I"
So all tho little property was divided
the brothers taking half, and she took
the spoons with the rest at the price
Chat bad been set upn them. But ii
obliged her 10 give pp the home, and
she, with her few effects, went into
rented rooms and began life anew Oc-
caslonally teaching school and always
Eewirg when possible, she supported
herself very comfortably for about three
yearsT Wien a lifelong friend Of her
husband, IA excellent man, ofTersd her
his hand in marriage.
She liked him well. and her friends
told her it was the best thing to do, and
she thought with pleasure of again be-
ing mistress Of home So they were
married.
In a few years her husbands health
declined, and for many months sho gave
him most tender and unceasing care
She had few times spoken to him
snout making will, bnt as it seemed
an unpleasant subject she had ceased 20
mention it. Finally the end came.
There had come to attend the funeral
dis nearest relative, nephew from New
England, whom she bad never seen 5s.
fore. IN a dag or two be brought two
men to the cottage 70 appraise the prop
erty, and again was there . price set
npon the we'll preserved spoons. On the
evening Of that day as she was pTepar-
tnG supper tbe nephew entered the
kitchen aud said: Aunt Liza. am
disposed to 90 very easy with yen. The
worth of all of uncle's property has
been carefully estimated, and ! viii al
low zen 70 inolade in your half Of it
any article Of furniture you may
choose.
And again she paid the price CT her
f1st darling purchase of silverwares but
there was not enough left after the half
was taken for her TO keep the house and
lot, eo they went into the hands Of
strangers, and with her cat Aunt Liza
again went into coy, hut hired rooms.
Size was q pattern of thrift and tidiness,
as smart widower Of the neighborhood
yas well aware, and in less than year
be MADE CALI upon the comedy marion.
he was wise enough TO make bis first
visit short, bit fingered q moment in
the door and suggested that in the near
future they become better acquainted.
She answered, 1 am living here very
comfortably, and think, Bir. Johnson,
that u will rot be worth while for yen
so call. - and closing the door hastily
she turned to her cat and said:
Ono, Tommy, / have bought those
spoons tire times, and l don't intend
80 risk them any more.