The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-06

| bureau, and table covers, anu CuuH- terpanes, woven in beautiful and in- tricate patterns, and embroidered by her own hands. The husband was a farmer, poor but ambitious, and for in- dustry and thrift the pair were we'll mated. There were three little chil- dren when he died after few days of intense suffering induced by ex- posture and overwork. As he had not finished paying for his farm, or for a valuable yoke of oxen, bought not long before, creditors swooped down upon the widow and a public sale at auction of all household goods, farm implements, and the like, was ordered to satisfy their claims. Everything must be given up, so with the rest | was reckoned in all the labor of those long hours which as a girl she had spent at spinning wheel and loom. The sheriff, who, as an old neigh bor, felt much sympathy for the widow, advised her to select whatever she would like to buy, promising to put it up in the first lot. So, promptly upon the stroke of the clock the auction began, and the store of linen, with @ | few other things that had been her own before her marriage, were sold under the hammer to their real owner, who had been obliged to borrow money to pay for them. The few who were pres ent, understanding the situation, fore bore to bid against her. Fortunately for her, the one person in the vicinity who had determined to secure all the best of the linen, and had boasted that it would be his since he was able to outbid everyone else was delayed for a few minutes and did not arrive until after the sale was made. Partly for a liking for such things, and partly from malice, he never having forgiven her for prefering another man to himself, he had determined to buy 1t, even If he had to pay, as he said, 'all 1t was worth" Great was his disappointment and great his anger as he drove away again, raging, with never a tablecloth to show for his journey.
 At the time MT. D., the husband, died, Mrs. D's mother lay dying. She survived the son-in-law only a few days It is a fact that had she been first to die, the share of her little prop erty which this daughter inherited could also have been sold to pay the debts of MT. D.
 This may seem to some like chapter of ancient history" But it is not an- cient. It is painfully modern Things just as cruel and unjust have been done in later years, and may be done again. Husband and wife are one-"no more twain, but one flesh" said He who gave us the Law of Love. The husband is The One says, in effect, the law of the statute books. The wife may work and save; her thrift, her courage, her en- ergy, may nave sustained and stimu- lated the husband all through the years of their welded life, but when he is gone only q share of what was theirs is hers. Wealthy relatives have been known to hasten to the desolate home, before it has been stored to it's wonted order, and demand an immediate divi- sion of the household stock They do not need anything, they do mot really want anything, but the law gives it to them, and have it they will. It is true that the laws relating to such matters are now a little less oppressive. Women who have been married since 1877, in Connecticut at least, have it to be thankful for that they were not married earlier. There is some recognition of their rights as intelligent individuals and, if widowed, they will not be oblig- | ed to buy back their own silver spoons | And it may be that, sometime in the | hundreds, the laws now exist ing may be considered as barbarous 9 8 the one of earlier date that robbed the | widow of her anti-nuptial earnings to l satisfy her husbands creditors.
 HILARY. l