The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-06-08
HER SILVER SPOONS.
THEY REMAINED HER PROPERTY, BUT
WERE VERY COSTLY.

NCnC sCnf SOOtI1.
After Buying Them Three Times She Re
fused to Risk Them Any More-A Little
story Bearing on the Question of the
Wife's Property Rights.
The following story was told III a pa
per read by Mrs. NJ. j. Coggeshall at a
meeting Of tho Woman's Suffrage So
ciety of Des Moines and published in
The Saturday Review Of that city:
Today, when we women have not out
grown the pretty fad of collecting SOU
venir spoons. the great variety and
beauty of which were unknown to onr
grandmothe1s, allow me to recall the
story of a great aunt Of ours who also
loved spoons, but whose plain cupboard
drawer contained no sets of dainty after
) dinner cotiees like those from which we
, love to sip as we sit in our clubs and
talk of culture.
This aunt when a young woman was
a teacher in q country school until she
had saved enough money to indulge her
3, great desire for a set of silver spoons.
She was married soon after to the young
man of her choice. Six years passed by
years of hard work and economy for
both, happy years, though no children
had come to bless their union-when by
a sudden illness the husband was taken
away. The day after the funeral the
grieved wife was surprised by the en-
trance to her home of the two brothers
of her husband, bringing with them the
village lawyer. They told her they had
come to set a value upon their brothers
property, in order that she might know
what part of it was hers.
She held her peace as they set down
the worth of each article Of furniture in
the little home, until they finally came
to the box of spoons.
Then she spoke and said: "These are
mine. l bought them with my own
money before l was married"
Yes, ma'am," said the lawyer,
"but you know, ma'am, that after a Ia
dy is married everything belongs in law
to her husband"
So all the little property was divided,
the brothers taking half, and she took
h spoons with the rest at the price
! that had been set upon them. But it
obliged her to give up the home, and
she, with her few effects, went into
rented rooms and began life anew. o.
c~aslonally teaching a school and always
sewing when possible, she supported
herself very comfortably for about three
years, when a lifelong friend of her
husband, all excellent man, offered her
his hand in marriage.
She liked him we'll, and her friends
told her it was the best thing to do, and
she thought with pleasure of again be-
ing mistress of a home. So they were
married.
In a few years her husbands health
declined, and for many months she gave
him most tender and unceasing care.
She had a few times spoken to him
about making a will, but as it seemed
an unpleasant subject she had ceased tc
mention it. Finally the end came.
There had come to attend the funeral
his nearest relative. anephew from Now
England, whom she mad never seen be.
fore. In a day or two he brought two
men to the cottage to appraise the prop.
erty, and again was there a price Sc,
upon the well preserved spoons. On the
evening of that day as she was prepar
ing supper the nephew entered the
kitchen and said: Aunt Liza, [ an
disposed to be very easy with you. The
worth of all of uncle's property ha:
been carefully estimated, and | will al
low you to include in your half of il
II article of furniture you may
! choose
And again she paid the price of hel
first darling purchase of silverware, bur
there was not enough left after TIE hal
was taken for her to keep the house ant
lot, SO they went into the hands O
strangers, and with her cat Aunt Liz;
again went into cozy, but hired rooms
She was q patterl of thrift and tidiness
as n smart widower Of the n~oichborhoot
was WaIl aware. and i'll less than Il yea
he fsaae cali 1pan TIN comely matron
EIe Was wise cac2@h to make his i:rs
via5t Inert, hu= fingered i monrart j,
tha=aaar and suggested tha1 il thu nea.
f1taTa thy asarae better acquainted.
She answered, 81 amIjyina hero vor.
y comfortably, and tAints. 1Lr. Johnson