nds and the lands of the community.
If a husband or wife dies affluent, leaving the survivor in
necessitous circumstances, the latter can claim one-fourth
of the estate of the deceased. This is called "the marital
fourth." The wife, also, if she or the children do not
possess one thousand dollars in their own right, can claim
as a privilege and against the creditors, one thousand
dollars, or a sum which, with her own estate, shall equal
that amount.

The wife cannot appear in court, or dispose of, or mortgage,
or acquire real estate, without the consent of the husband,
but the judge of the court of the domicil may authorize the
wife to sue, or be sued. If the husband refuses to empower
the wife to contract, she may cite him into court and have
the property of the proposed contract settled by an order of
the judge. The wife has full power to make a will without
any authorization from her husband or the court.

ART. 2,398. The wife, whether separated in property, by
contract, or by judgment, or not separated, cannot bind
herself for her husband, nor conjointly with him, for debts
contracted by him before or during the marriage.

ART. 119. The husband and wife owe to each other mutual
fidelity, support and assistance.

ART. 120. The wife is bound to live with her husband, and
follow him wherever he chooses to reside; the husband is
obliged to receive her, and furnish her with whatever is
required for the convenience of life in proportion to his
means and condition.

It is provided that the domicil for granting divorces of
such marriages as have been solemnized in Louisiana, shall
be in that State so that the courts of Louisiana may grant
divorces for causes and faults committed in foreign
countries. For abandonment and other causes, a final divorce
cannot be granted until one year after a decree of
separation from bed and board has elapsed without a
reconciliation. In other particulars the law is similar to
that of the other States.

[Illustration: Caroline E. Merrick]

One day in 1842, the New Orleans _Delta_ had this item: "Myra Clark
Gaines argued her ow