ven to her as presents,
gifts and keep-sakes, shall not be subject to execution. And
provided further, that she shall hold as exempt, except for
the purchase money therefor, other property to the amount of
three hundred dollars to be set apart and appraised in the
manner provided by law for exemption of property.

SEC. 10.--A married woman shall not mortgage or in any
manner encumber her separate property acquired by descent,
devise or gift, as a security for the debt or liability of
her husband or any other person.

The legislature of 1881 enacted the following, which is really a
sequence of the property-rights statute of 1879:

A married woman may sue alone when: _First_--The action
concerns her own property. _Second_--When the action is
between herself and her husband. But in no case shall she
be required to sue or defend by guardian or next friend,
unless she be under twenty-one years.

It further enacted, making it section 28, to act 38, that:
When a husband or father has deserted his family, or is
imprisoned, the wife or mother may prosecute or defend in
his name any action which he might have prosecuted or
defended, and shall have the same powers and rights therein
as he might have had.

The legislature of 1881 also passed the following:

AN ACT _to Authorize the Election of Women to School
Offices_:

SEC. 1.--Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Indiana,
that any woman, married or single, of the age of twenty-one
years and upwards, and possessing the qualifications
prescribed for men, shall be eligible to any office under
the general or special school laws of the State.

SEC. 2.--That any woman elected or appointed to any office
under the provisions of this act, before she enters upon the
discharge of the duties of her office, shall qualify and
give bond as required by law; and such bond shall be binding
upon her and her securities.

The following, enacted by this same legislature of 1881, would
indicate that fidelity to his domestic obligations is not even
yet esteemed in man as a virtue of high order; the value attached
to the fidelity can be meas