The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-08-03
A WIDOWS
RUSE
By MARGARET C. DEvEREAUx

In antebellum days there lived In
| Georgia on a large plantation, which
he owned, one David Dupont His
wife bore him one child, a son, and
when the baby was but year old the
father died, leaving his property TO his
wife In trust for bis son. But Du-
points affairs had always been in the
hands OF one John Coulter, In whose
business ability and integrity the
planter had every confidence. He
therefore left the management of the
estate to Coulter as executor.
Mrs. Dupont had always distrusted
Coulter, but so great was his influence
over her husband that she dared not
speak her mind.
One day she set out from the plan
tation to visit a friend Her trunks
were taken to the station by the ne
groes, but the widow carried in her
hand what In those days was called
bandbox made Of pasteboard, intended
for the carrying of women's bonnets
or mems hats This box she would
trust to no other hands than her
own. She told all of the household
that her baby was to remain In the
hands Of Chloe. his nanny, and no
one else was TO have anything to do
with him.
Mrs. Dupont had been away from
the plantation but a few days when
Chole's husband, Sampson, appeared
to inform her that little Archie, her
son. was very Ill. She hurried home
and, going to the sickroom, shut her
self up there. giving orders that no
one except the doctor, who had been
the family physician for years. was to
be admitted. The doctor came and
went, but when asked how the baby |
was getting on always hurried away |
without giving any satisfaction. One |
day when he came out of the sick /
room he said:
ITS all over"
Two days later Simpson carried a
little coffin from the house, followed
by the widow. the boys nanny and
Ill the negroes on the plantation. There
were walls from the dusky mourners.
but none walled so loud as the dead
boys nanny. The coffin was carried
10 the family cemetery. where 1t was
placed In grave that had been pre-
pared for it.
John Coulter during Archie's sick
less, death and burial was away on
When he returned he found
lis plans seriously interfered with.
There was provision In David Du-
'ont's will that IL his son died before
lis widow the estate should be hers
OF In trust for the boy. The
widow at once claimed the property
nd told Coulter that he must turn
over TO her.
The executor was in hole. He had
'artly accomplished his plans to get
ossession Of the property and had it
iot been for the child's death would
oubtless soon have got it into posi-
lon where he would appear to be the
Ightfu owner. As 1t was, he could
My undo what he had done and turn
be estate over to the widow. He was
long while doing it, and she was |,
bliged on several occasions to threat
n him with a charge of misappropria- :
on to force him to disgorge When /.
e had done so she dismissed him. hop J
lg that he would leave the neighbor-
God. But in the service Of the Dupont
imiIy he had accumulated some mon
=, with which he bought small plan :
ltion in an adjoining county, where /
3 settled.
Some eight or nine years after Archie a
upont's death the widow brought to r
lie plantation boy whose age was n
ven as twelve years and adopted him. h
Gorge Etheridge was the boys name
Id he soon became favorite with all
e household Chloe and Mrs. Dupont
It'll seemed TO have transferred to him
cir love for little Archie. George Pi
ew up fine fellow and, thanks to
5 mother by adoption, was well edu-
ted
When Etheridge was about to be- "
me of age Mrs. Dupont granted him da
of the event. The plant da
) from round about were invited to III
e fete. and, strange to say, John VI
'ulter. who had continued 10 prosper -,
1 w