The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-21
AN INSANE STATESMAN
ON THE REAssEssMENr DODGE
nor. rrp.A rA.n rs.tr, in al. R.n.,l.-l Pa.
mOu rrystins PIass-ln ODD supsrutitisa.
Some Qassr Nills-RObert Herrit
fel Testament =. BroWa's viii. Il

/ moH Tfysting PlAee-An Odd supefstiuon.
| .,. Some Qastr Hiils-RObert Norris
| Testament =. BrOWa's WIN. +
sDeeta! oonspondtaes afd1 1hlsasae~.
WEsroS, W. Va, June 2o.-Every
town has its one character who is the fun
maker for the place, the butt Of all Jokes.
This individual in Weston is venerable
inmate Of the asylum, who wanders at will
when and where he pleases. To-day
seeking gold mine in the sand stone
along the bluffs, tomorrow passing Jokes
with the idlers ON the street. He Is
Ishrewd even in his imbecility, is this same
lsam. His particular hobby is that he
Towns both Pennsylvania and Maryland,
and that President Arthur will soon inter
pose to restore his possessions. Sam
manages somehow to keep posted on poli-
Tics, and knows quite as well "a number
of people one could name who claims to
4 be in possession ol their party's secret
| thoughts. Half an hour ago his jolly
lold face full : OF smiles and
'Fhis collar Of starch, he edged his way up to
me and In half deprecatOry tone said,
ltfYou, sir, l understand, are the travelling
Of the lETELLDGESCER." We
hiss he'd and looked down. BAN under
stood % The delicate shyness Of our nature,
and nress,%d no farther, but at once began
the snhipct N earest his heart. TELL me, "
he he commenced. sis there much being said
n the state concerning the reassessment p
He was informed that the alleged followers
OF Jefferson in West Virginia are holdinga
lprotracted prayer meeting aud the burden
oftheir supplieations is Tor cessation OF
agitation on that subject. Sam was silent
for, some time, his eyes sweeping the MI!
tops with that restless look characteristic OF
the insane, Finally, with broad smile,
he continued, "Do you know that Jake
jackson has taxed every rock in this county
that. raises its head above the sol anu
that isn't all, the Larmers are only renting
the land OF the Governor: / know; can
see, and then-he dropped of into reyer1e
that lasted 50 long ! thought he was aleep,
until he grayely informed me that ne mad
gold mine down the river and he was
trying to keep the tax commission from
adding 200 per cent to its valuation. n N
A TRUSTING PLACE.
I went up to the Court House this alter
Enoon. 4 great rambling pile ofbriek, old,
musty and much dilap;dated. Broad stone
steps lead up to the court or small piazza
tbasis in front Of the building, and here,
crow ds Of noisy children play at "tag,"
while the larger children sitting on the
steps play at more serious games. Its
famous place for trystiug, are these same
stone steps, under the shadows OF the
Court House and the trees. Oyer and over
AGAIN the tale has been told here, and the
youth oi the village firmly believe that love
powders and charms are wholly
unnecessary, If the loyed ne.can be en-
tieed TO spend an houro on the Court House
steps. Even the parents hall believe 1t,
and careful hammas are quoted as saying
TO Sallie and Ella and Mirenda, "Don't go
near the Court House-its dangerous" l
went to the Court House and spent .
delightful hour in searching the old records
for things curious and quaint The same
Clerk, has served the county fortwenty.one
consecutive years, and served it well. From
high shelves and musty reeesses he took
for my inspection volume after volume OF
time stained records-wills and deeds. Il
was in the form that l was most interested.
. Fs,7 SOME QUEER WILLS.
What curious lot they are, Some
drawn with. the strictest regard to every
legal point, some astonishing in orthogra-
ply, verbiage and ambiguity. The very
FIRST one recorded was that Of Robert Nor.
ris, Of Philadelphia, Of Revolutionary
fame. It bears date Of 1901 and was ad-
mitted to probate in 1906. This document
is severely exact in every respect A num-
ber Of small personal belongings are dis
posed Of, first being given to his children
and immediate friends. To his son Thomas
he gives gold headed cane presented him
by his .dear friend John Hancock, Of the
Continental Congress, who received 1t from
friend in London, England To another
son he gives silver BAutf-box, imported
from London in PALMER days." and which
he arepurchased from the registrar in
bankruptcy" after his failure. To
his daughters he makes similar bequests
and finally willed the bulk Of his property
TO his "dearly beloved WIFE," On the page
Immediately following this is his wiie's
vii made two years later: Soloman
S. hovner left the shortest will on record
here. It contains sixty.fve words. One
woman 10 brief will leaves two daughters
consider 0ble property, and to son "a
shilling tC be deducted from note he gave
for land bought OF his father" and which
she owned 1t the time Of her decease:
Another man 6hose Ghy pocrisy is past all
tradition and history, or whose married
life was Bingu larry happy, left all his
property to dhis darling wife, good and
rue and the one altogether lovely" But
probably the quaintest and most curious
vii IL that OF one Sa!uuel Brown, 9 we'll
to-do farmer, who evidently wrote his will
al odd hours, erasing, ruaking corrections
and additions as his iaacy or purpose
suited. The will has never been published
and I give it prbatun q iserattm:
SAMUEL Browns WILL.
Ileaye the Burough and the Fawl table
and the Stan to IL leave the Stan open
the account Of the kie hit lock the bee
house and my Box leave the Big Bible
them Doctor Books l think you had better
take them and read them and you will md
a great deal OF Benefit in them the other
B9ok YOU can Devide them among your
seIfes the Blacks leave Ann TOP. ?. Brown
and henry to Elias Brown and Sarah to ".
B, Brown and thee old clock and the Little
one when hit gifts 50 that hit cam rum
about you can give hit to Wm a. ]. Brown
children.
Stan Drawer one for P. P. Brown, and one
for Elias Brown aud one for W: B. Brown
and ten for the old woman. ! think when
Won Diyid the thing in tie hous you will
remember VIM. q J. Brown childrin. the
Jackson Det you must try TO git II You can
and Divid hit equeal among, you thus Is
last will and testimony written by me sam
uel Brown. Iwant p. p: Z. Brown and W.
B. Brown to settle up all the otsness WHIT
this the nlnt1a day Of July eighteen hundred