The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-04
A STORY OF SILVER SPOONS.

The following story was told in pa
per read by Mrs. M. ]. Coggeshall at a
recent meeting of the Woman's Suffrage
Society of Des Moines, Ia, and pub
lished in the Saturday Review of that
city:
Today, when we women have not out
grown the pretty fad of collecting souve-
mir spoons, the great variety and beauty
of which were unknown to our grand
mothers, allow me to recall the story of
great aunt of ours who also loved
spoons, but whose plain cupboard draw
or 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 young woman, was
a 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 other 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
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. | bought them with my own
money before l was married" Eyes,
ma'am," said the lawyer. "but you know
ma'am, that after lady is married
everything belongs in law to her hus
band" 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. Occasional
ly teaching school and always sewing
when possible, she supported herself
very comfortably for about three years,
when 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
being mistress of home. So they were
married.
In few years the husbands health
declined, and for many months she gave
him most tender and unceasing care.
She had few times spoken to him
about making will. but as it seemed
an unpleasant subject she ceased to
mention it. Finally the end came.
There had come to attend the funeral his
nearest relative, a 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 up
on 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 dis
posed to be very easy with you; the
worth of all OF uncle's property has been
carefully estimated, and I will allow you
to include in your half of it any article
of furniture you may choose" And
again she paid the price of her first darl
ing 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 strang-
ers. and with her cat Aunt Liza again
went into cosy, 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 comedy 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, II am living here very
comfortably and think, Mr.. Johnson,
that it will not be worth while for you
to CALL" and closing the door hastily she
turned to her cat and said:
mo, Tommy, l have bought those
spoons three times and don't intend to
risk them any more"