Morris tribune., 1881-06-30
own fellv or make fools of.his friends. and

own folly or make fools of his friends, and
vet this has been done in numerous cases.
In one instance, we read of wealthy man
leaving son and daughter as his residuary
legatees who, as his executors discovered,
after much labor, never had an existence;
in another case, an estate of some value
was left to an eldest son, on condition that
he shaved off his moustache, and never al
lowed it to grow again. A testator who once
made ridiculous bequest was cleverly out
wittGd. He bequeathed G2, 1000 to friend,
on condition that half that sum should be
buried with him. A wag advised that a
cheque for FL 900 drawn to order should be
placed in the old gentleman's coffin, which
was done accordingly.
Under the heading Directions for Burr
al, several grotesque incidents are record
ed. A Manchester lady bequeaths sur
once in every year look upon her fnce, two
witnesses being present." A maiden lady
of New York leaves her property for the
purpose of building church in that city
on condition "that her remains should be
mixed up in the mortar used for fixing the
first stone;" another lady of an economical
turn of mind, desires that if she should die
away from Branksome, her remains, after
being placed in coffin, should be enclos-
ed in a plain deal box, and conveyed by
goods train to Poole. ''Let no mention, I"
She states, "be made of the contents, as
the conveyance will not then be charged
more for than an ordinary package" A
French traveller, recently deceased. desired
to be luried in large leather trunk to
which he was attached, as it chad gone
round the world with him three times"
and an English gentleman and justice of
the peace, who, at the age of eighty three.
had married girl of thirteen, desired to
be buried in an old chest he had selected
for the purpose. Tastes differ in the mat
ter of burial.
One wishes to be inferred with the bed
on which he had been lying; another de-
desired to be buried far away from the
haunts of men, where Nature may smile
upon his remains and O third bequeaths
his corpse for dissection, after whichit is to
be put into deal box and thrown into the
| Thames. One man does not wish to be
buried at all, but gives his body to the I'm
perial Gas Company, to be consumed to
ashes in one of their retorts, adding that
should the superstition of the times pre-
vent the fultillment of his bequest his ex-
ecutors may place his remains in st. John s
Wood cemetery, 'to assist in poisoning the
living in that neighborhood. A person
may approve himself of cremation, but it Is
little hard when he requires his relatives
to approve of it also. The body of DIR.
LIE Moyne was cremated last year at his ex-
press desire, on Gallews Hill, Washington
He died very wealthy, and left his fortune
to certain relatives, OH condition that they
should consent to the same process of de.
struction. after death. Only two of then
it is said, have accepted the condition. Al
amusing story is told of lady
Roman Catholic, who, in her lii
illness. promised the priest to leave him {
sum of money for charitable uses. Whe1
she was dying, she begged the priest tt
come nearer to the bedside, and gasped out
"Father-Ive-given- Stay "sait
the priest, anxious to have as many wit
nesses as possible to the expected state
ment, II will call in the family" ard open
ing the door, he beckoned them all in
GIVE given you," repeated the old lady
with increasing difficulty, "given-you-;
great deal of trouble" This incident ma,
!, remind the reader of passage in one o
J Lord Bolingbroke's letters, in which, writin,
to friend, he says,-"I am very sorry m
: Lord Marlborough gives you SO mucl
trouble. 1t is the only thing he will Civ
YOU" Cats, dogs, birds and horses hav
} been frequently remembered in wills
Lord Chesterfield left sum for his cat, an
Lord Eldon bequeathed Is year to hi
: dog ''Pincher;" lady, possessed of NOR
money than sense, left an annuity of tw
hundred guineas to her parrot; and
! Frenchman made horse his heir, but be
queathed the horse to his nephew.