Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-12-04

her will, written by herself at the age of
eighty, proved in November 1862,
expresses her wish ITO be buried decently
and quietly-no undertaker's frauds or
cheating; no scarfs, hatbands, or nom
sense" Mrs. Kitty Jenkyn Packe Read
ing, although evidently possessed of suffl-
cient means, appears by her will, proved
in April, 1870, to have been very anxious
that one part at least of the expenses
attending her funeral should be kept as
low as possible. Alter saying that she is
to be placed first in a leaden and then in
wooden coffin, she provides that eff
die away from Branksome, l wish my
remains, after being duly placed in the
proper coffins, to be inclosed in a plain
deal box, so that no one may know the
contents, and conveyed by goods train
TO Poole, which will cost no more than
any other package of the same weight
from Poole Station said box to be convey
ed in a cart to Branksome Tower" The
continuance of sending her remains in a
plain deal box by goods train, so that it
will cost no more than any other package
of the same weight, and said box" after
ward to be conveyed in cart, sounds
rather oddly in connection with the dig
nified name of its destination, Branksome
Tower Mrs. Reading seems to have con-
sidered the details of her funeral with
much minuteness; among other things
she states 1.-THE easiest way to convey my
coffin out of the house will be to take the
window out of the dining ROOM" Some
people-we do not know whether they
would rather not die-certainly would
rather not be buried. Mr. j. L. Greffulhe,
of Winchester street and Cornhill, mer-
chant, whose will was proved in October,
1867, thus directs as to the disposal of his
body: IL do not wish to be buried.
enjoin my nephews to cause my body to
be embalmed and placed in coffin, the
top of which shall be glazed and not nail
ed down, so that the body be not deprived
either of air or daylight. Subsequently to
cause it to be burned, if that can be legal
ly done" 1t could not be from motive
of economy, as the personal property in
England was sworn under half a million
sterling, and he left 100000 francs to be
laid out in works of beneficence and char
ity. Mr.. William Kensett, by his will,
proved in October, 1866, seems to have
been of the same opinion as the members
of "a recently formed club, who have pledg-
ed themselves for sanitary reasons to have
their bodies burned at their deaths for he
recites that, "believing in the impolicy of
interring the dead amidst the living, and
as an example to others, / give my body
four days after death to the directors Of
the Imperial Gas Company, London, to
be placed in one of the retorts and con
sumed to ashes, and that they be paid el0
by my executors for the trouble this act
will impose on them in so doing Should
defense of fanaticism and superstition
prevent them granting this my request, then
my executors must submit to have my re-
mains buried in the plainest manner pos
sible in my family grave in st. Johns
Wood Cemetery, to assist in poisoning the
living in that neighborhood." Generally
the curious wills are homemade. The
will of Mr.. Kensett was made by solic-
itor.-L0ndon Illustrated Netos.