Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-18
CURIOUS WILLS.


ard are palpahle facts 10 ali around, although
their owners may fat er themselves that they
pass unnotleed. Possibly there are people 50
fearful OF being Thought odd tn it they sup,
press all outward manifestation of eccentric
lty during lite, and only allow il to crop out In
thelr last Wills and teStamentS. However,
ms may De, IL IS certainly an excellent oppor-
tunlty To De sharp, cauStic, sarcastic or witty
at the expense of relatives or friends, as the re
Is no possible chance of their ever replying,
aud either woundlng or defet Ing the aggreS-
Sor III verbal conflict. Clauses i'm wills which
are highly calculated TO grieve or enrlye thoSr
whom they concern afford much amusement
and perhaps little instruction, to others not
interested or acquainted with the injured par
ties; at all events, they give an Insight into
the workings of that wonderful and compIi-
Gated construction called the human mind.
Not Knowing how much the teStatorS have
suffered during their lives from their relatives,
it is quite impossible to decide where sympa
thy is to be expended, or if il be less Calling Go
receive a reprOach without a beuueST than il
extracts from the two following wills are cases
III point:
IN ~ vie SHhn Esa Of Surrey died
as, 1t was my misfortune to be made very I'M
easy by -, my wife, for many years from our
marriage by her turbulent behavior; for she
ton. but She cOntrived every effort to m AXE
me unhappy; she was SO perverSe to her ma
ture that she would not be reclaimed. bus
seemed only to be born to be plague to me :
the strength of Samson, the kno wedge of Ho,
mer, the prudence of Augustus. the cunning
OF PyrrhuS, the patience of Job, The subtlety OF
Hannibal, and the watchfulnesS of Hermo-
genes could not have been sufficient 10 subIue
her; for no skill or force in the world would
make her good; and as we had lived separate
anu apart from eaeh other eight years, and
tally abandon me, therefore | give her one
shilling only
To be furnished with such character, and
then cut off with shilling, is really too cruel.
1t is not wives alone who suffer, as will he
seen from the next extract, but sisters both
married and single receive their share of re-
proach and sarcasm. In this will of Dr. Dun
l0pS however, there is some compensation for
the wounds inflicted. He was of Scotch origin.
and member of Congress. His will con,
erty of Garbread and all the property may
be possessed Of to my sisters - and -: the
former because she is married to minister
Wh0m-may God help hlm!-She hen-pecks
the latter because she is married to nobody,
nor Is She likely TO be. for sac is an old maid.
and not market rife....I leave my silver
tankard to the eldest sou of old John, as the
representative of the family. [ would have
LETT 1t to old John himself. but he would have
melted ii down to make temperance medals.
and that would have been sacriege How
ever, leave him my biz norm snuff box. h.
can only make temperance norm spoons out of
that.. Il leave my brother in-aw Allan nv
punch-boWl, as he is a biz, gauchy man. ami
iikely TO do credit to it'll leave to ParSon
ChevaSSie my big silver snuff box, asa SIN an
token of gratitude to him for taking my sister
Maggie, whom no man of taste would have
taken. Il leave to John Caddell silver lea
POT, TO the end that he may drink tea there
from to comfort him under the atiiction of a
s!atlernly wife. III leave my silver cup, with
the sovereign in The bottom of it, TO my sister
49,, because she is an old maid and pious and
therefore necessarily given to boarding; and
also my grandmOthers snuff box, as it looks
decent to see an old maid taking snuf''
FIFTY years ago an Engiisnman left Will
containing the following proviSos: Il BE-
queath to my monkey my dear and amusing
JackO, the sum of flU sterling per annuIa, to
be employed for his sole and exclusive use and
dement,; to my faithful dog Shock aud my we'll
beloved cat, lib. pension of t. sterling; and
l desire that, in case of the DEAN OF either of
the three, the lapsed pension shall pass to the
other two, between whom it is to be equally
divided. On the death of all three, the sum
appropriated to this purpose shall become the
property Of my daughter Gertrude, to whom
give TINS preference among my children be
fculty she finds in bringing them app
1t must have been exceedingly tiattering to
the daughter TO have ranked fourth in her
latAers anectlons-hrsta monkey, then a dog,
Then cat, then herself; after all. she OUT
ranked the other children, but only because of
her numerous progeny.
When Monsieur ColOmbies, a Partisan mar-
fouen for having twenty years before refused
to marry him, through which, states the
viii, II was enabled to live Independently and
happily as bachelor"
1t is recorded of a rich old farmer tn 1t in
giving instructions for his will he directed
legacy OF tlUU 10 be given to his wife, Being
informed that some distinction was made.
usually in case the widow married again, he
doubled the sum: and when told that this was
qulie contrary to custom, he said. with heart
telt sympathy for his possible successor, "Ay.
out him as gets her IL desarve IL
The following verse from an old number of
BtackGoVdS Mugdzine warnS all women
against making their own wills:
:" IrstalurS are good; but feeling IN IRE tender
Sp inSS up u hon tn INK OF the fem nj !. gender:
Inc t.statlA Tor NE, Who, AK Teen suue's
Unw caves at one time what sh. sove at another.
She hcqneathS, she repents, sha recalls Donation;
Ana sIs ends by revOking ner Owl revocation:
sun scrlbb,lns or scratching SOME new cod.ciI-
On, sue. eSs to the woman who makes her own
Wills in rhyme are rare In a case decided
in the Probate Court in 1875 the testasor made
cOdicll to his will as follows.
~ having neither kith nor kim
!BBe!9eath all have named herein
To Margnet, my dearest wtte,
To have and h',id as hers for iise
Nm, me '. ~ , good health aud sound in mind,
is that OF Mr.. VIM. Jacket. of Islington,
Middlesex, proved in 1889:
II give and bequeath
When I'm laid underneath,
10 my two loving sisters m ,st dear,
The whole Of my store,
Were 1t twice as much more.
Which Gods goodness has granted me here.
And that no one may prevent
rms my will and intent.
VI occasion the least law racket,
With Il solemn appeal.
confirm, sign. AMI seal
This, the true act and d led of WILL JACKET.
Elizabeth and Ann,
In the name of God. Amen.''
[Harper's Weekly.
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