The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-08-06
TEsTAMEyTARy cURIosITIEs.

One of the most extraordinary wills
ago. the duchesse de Praslin disinherit-
ed her own children, under the unac-
countable impression that her husband
had substituted changelings for her own
offspring. In Il greater number OF cases
the eccentTicity of etestator was shown
in the curious directions he gave for the
disposal of his remains. Thus the Sieur
Benoit directed that he should be buried
sin nv leather trunk, instead Of putting
my executor to the expense of a coffin. "
This trunk had thrice gone with him
round the world, and he expressed him
self very much attached TO 1t. The
cOmte du Chatelet, who died SIX centu-
ries ago. was Of a less humble mind re-
rarding his interment. He ordered one
of the pillars in the church of Neufcha-
teau to be followed out for the recep-
ton of his remains ''in order that the
vulgar may not walk about on me. ="
An instance of cremation took place III
/ England in 1869, when the remains of a
! lady who had resided at George street,
I Hanover square, were ''buTned to ashes
in the new Durying ground adjoining
! Tyburn turnpike. - In another part OF
/ the book the author tells us how "a
/ Scotch gentleman, having two young
/ daughters. bequeathed to each her
| weight. not in gold, but in g notes. -
/ The elder, being the simmer, received
only ej1 800, while the younger got
/ .e57, 7,S44, This story, however, is unau-
/ thenticatCd hy either dates or names,
and we are disposed, therefore, to regard
( it as only ban trorato.
Some curious wills have been made i'll
/ favor Of pet animals. 4 French peas
T,T ,fs,..x
/ disposition behind her in lTS1 : i de-
clare that I appoint my russet cob my
universal heir, and | desire that he may
belong to my nephew George" " More
than century before that, Nine. Du-
puis, famous harpist, gave the most
| minute directions for the comfortable
maintenance of her two cats after heI
own demise. Not less than thirty sous
a week was to be laid out on them in
order ''that they may live well. They
! were to be served daily with two meals
of meat soup, ''the same as we eat our
selves. = each cat having its own plate.
Into the soup moTsels of bread 'abOut
the size of a nut, - were to be placed,
and after this course was finished, the
lucky tabbies were to be served with "a
ration of meat, finely minced, mildly
seasoned, and carefully simmered. - We
after their miStresseS' death as the viii
offered no inducements to keep them
( alive. but very much TO the contrary.
| Among the Dequests to wives-per
haps the most amusing chapter in The
bOOk-that of John George of Lambeth
who died il 1871, is conspicuous for it:
bitterness. After declaring that ''tht
strength of Sampson, the genius of HO
meT, the prudence of Augustus, the skill
of Pyrrhus, the patience Of Job, The
philosophy Of Socrates, the Subtlety o.
I Hannibal the vigilance Of 1IermOgeneS
would not suffice to Su5due the perycrsi
ty Of her character" he bequeathed tC
his wife Elizabeth the sum of one shill
ing. William Pym, of WoolavingtOn
Somerset, was Of q much moro fOrgiving
nature. He, too, fancied he had grave
cause for complaint against his spouse
whom he charged with having made hi
life miserable. Nevertheless, when IN
quilted this world in 1908 he left Kan
tippe ten pounds to buy her q gre
{ horse for [ could not this many year
please her with one gret enough. -
Gov. Blackett-what country did Ii,
govern ?-left itas a personal request t,
his dear wife, that, inasmuch as ssh,
had been troubled with one old fool. no
to think Of marrying another From
the fact of the words ''Old fOol'' being
placed between quotation marks. it ma,
be inferred that Mrs. Blackett was il
the habit of 50 addressing her husband