The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-06-05 00:00:00

HINTS ON WILL-MAKING.

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Lord Penzance, in giving judgment on a will case j
the other day, expressed his opinion that the practice
of attempting to obtain wills from dying persons is
rather increasing than otherwise. Some people seemed
to think (said his lordship) that as long as there was
any life left a dying person could make a will; but ,
it was not enough that they were able to say " Yes "
or 'No" to a question, or to recognise those about
them ; much more was required to constitute testa-
mentary capacity. If any one from carelessnees or
disinclination let the time for making a will go by, it
was not because the final hour came without his inten-
tions having been carried into effect that another
person was justified in stepping in and doing for him
what he ought to have done for himself.
In the case which gave rise to these remarks, one
Robert Bingham, of Bristol, had propounded the will
of his mother, and the judge in summing up the evi-
dence said it was not pretended that Mrs. Bingham
ever gave instructions to any human being for the will,
which was prenared at the mere motion of Robert Bing-
ham, or that she knew anything about the will until
the very moment when the attorney and the doctor
stood by her bedside, and it was read over to her. The
will was a long one; with provisions of a character to
challenge the attention of a person whose mind was in
full activity, and she was supposed to have understood
it because she was able to say "Yes," and "Per-
fectly," and monosyllables of that kind. She was so
far incapable of voluntary action that no attempt was
even made to get her to make her mark. His lordship
added that he did not impute to Robert Bingham any
intention to do wrong, and he gave him credit for
believing that he was merely carrying out his mother's
intentions. He must, however, pronounce against the
will.

are most ingeniously made for the fleas, and not the
fleas for them. Taking the raw, untutored flea between
his linger and thumb, with a touch that few could com-
mand, the proprietor fastens by a peinlier noose a fine
hair round the Insect's tz link. leaving the two ends stand.
ing an inch or so above the back, lik e a couple of overgrown
feelers. These hair-ends are fastened to the apparatus.
generally by insertion in the split of a tiny straw, and
this difficult operation having been done without injury
to wind or limb, the harnessed captive is attached to
the particular service for which its talents tit it. The
Russian and Belgian fleas are favourite pupds, but the
English breed, after much starving and training,
I become the toughest and best. We obser7ed one on
Saturday, however, fretting in the collar very pain-
fully, and drawing his ivory car with a hop, skip, and I
jump instead of the steady, easy trot which the EllssiUl
or Belgian affected. Perhaps it was too much to
expect a right.minded flea to be docile under the cir-
cumstances in the presence of ruddy children
and blonde ladies. One or two of the performers
were pointed out as the inheritors of a green old age,
they had lived nine months, and were now, in the course
of nature, nearing the day of their death. Three or
four months—nay weeks—however, are considered a
hard age for a flea to live. Mr. Kitchingman, with
touching affection, allows his fleas to live out of him-
self, which is nothing but fair, seeing that he lives out
of them. Every day, when something is attempted
and something done has earned them a night's repose,
he feeds his flock upon the back of his hand, puts each
individual between two blankets, and the whole layer
into a box, where they slumber secure, out of harm's
way, and ought to be able to rise in the morning with
clear consciences towards all mankind. The untrained
reserve stock (two or three hundred) are kept in a
stoppered bottle full of flannel wool. The exhibitor
gives his visitors much information upon this special
branch of natural history.