The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-07-18
HER SILVER SPOONS.
THEY REMAINED HER PROPERTY, BUT
WERE VERY COSTLY.

FUSED TO RISK vhem ANY mOre-A 1A1CCle
Story Bearing ON the Question of the
wife's Property Rights.
The following story was told in pa
per read by Mrs. M. J. Coggeshall at a
meeting Of the 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 our
grandmothers, 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 coffees 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
teacher in country school until she
had saved enough money to indulge her
great desire for 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 unien-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 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 was married.
"Yes, ma 'am,'' said the lawyer,
''but you know, ma'am, that after 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
the 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.
cas1onally teaching school and always
sewing when possible, she supported
herself very comfortably for about three
years, when a lifelong friend Of her
husband, an 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 few years her husbands health
declined, and for many months she gave
him most tender and unceasing care.
She had few times spoken to him
about making a will, but as it seemed
an unpleasant subject she had ceased to
mention it. Finally the end came.
There had come to attend the funeral
his nearest relative, nephew from New
England, whom she had never seen be-
fore. In day or two he brought two
men to the cottage to appraise the prop
erty, and again was there price set
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, am
disposed to be very easy with you. The
worth of all of uncle's property has
been carefully estimated, and will al
low you to include in your half Of it
any article of furniture you may
choose. -
And again she paid the price of her
first darling purchase Of silverware, but
there was not enough left after the half
was taken for her to keep the house and
lot, SO they went into the hands of
strangers, and with her cat Aunt Liza
again went into cozy, but hired rooms.
She was pattern of thrift and tidiness,
as smart widower of the neighborhood
was we'll aware, and in less than year
he made call upon the comely matron.
He was wise enough to make his first
visit short, but fingered moment in
the door and suggested that in the near
future they become better acquainted.
She answered, 81 am living here very
comfortably, and think, Mr.. johnson,
that it will not be worth while for you
to oall.' and closing the door hastily
she turned to her cat and said:
"No, Tommy. have bought those
spoons three times, and I don't intend
to risk them any more -