The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-09-21

OF contemporary socialism, and no man who is
alive to tho ground gained by this movement
can afford to neglect this opportunity Of form
ing some acquaintance with its principles.
Odd wills.
There Is no branch of legal literature so
rich in anecdotes and so instructive In It's row.
Citations rs that relating to testamentary de-
vses HndbeQuests. Interesting material for the
novelist and social essayist has often been ex-
trnctcd from this mine. but we have never seen
itworked SO industrously and successfully as In
an English book called Cwioshies Of he Sea,ch-
Room, which Is now reprinted in Harpers'
Franklin Square Library. This compilation Is
mainly. though not exclusively. drawn from
English sources and about one half OF the
noteworthy or whimsical wills described are Of
quite recent origin. OF the older Instruments
a few may be familiar to those who have made
special study OF the subject. but the majority
even OF these are new to us. We should add
thnt the work Of condensation and classified.
ton is done with more than ordinary skill.
In a chapter allotted tn eccentric Wills +" the
author mentions some extraordinary examples
OF caprice Thus. in 1914. an Englishman
named Wright. who. although dying in hum
bio lodging In Pimlico. left a considerable
amount OF property. devised all his landed
estates to the Countess OF Aylesbury. although
his only knowledge OF that lady was his having
sean her AZ the opera, when. ~ no says. he
scarcely removed his eyes from her night after
night. Tho rector Of his parish. to whom on
his dca,hbsd ile communicated this provision
OF his will. was convinced the man was mad
but a subsequent clause Of tho testament in
dueei hun to alter his opinion on this subject.
Tor tho dying man proceeded Il have DO
1neathed the sum OF one thousand pounds to
ray. a "A n n rk of y n al %,
mon once heard you preach" EnnnllY impul-
sivc WAS the disposition nude of his fortune by
IN Hungarian. Stanislas PoltZmarz. who died
nj Pe,th about 1880. heIueathng nearly thrce
fni!!i"n hnrins to young notary named Lotz.
"n the stipulation that. before claiming It, lie
should engage himself at the Scala Mt Milan to
perform IN tho operas OF "Otsllo" and La
Sonnainbula." The testator explained that.
having sOme years before hoard Lott sing frag-
msn,s uf tho parts Of Eirmo and Oteuo at nm
evening party. he had admired tho beauty OF
his tenor VOICE. and predicted that 1t only de-
pended ON the singer to become the favorite of
the whole musical world. II. therefore," he
concludes. - nm right. he will thank me. and
81 will all dlsttanti. for my acumen: II. on the
othor baud. no should fail. he will have money
enough t. compensate for the Kisses he
will incur" Another curious testa-
nsntary provision was that made bv
II Scotch gentleman. who. having two young
daughters. boQusathsd to each her weight not
Ia gold. but In one pound bunk notes. Tho
elder seems to have been simmer than her
sister for sho only got $3.50. 900. whereas tho
younger. who was manifestly = buxom lassie,
received $23s72O. Sometimes tho eccentricity
shows itself in the form rather than the sub
ssNnce OF the will Thus. testntor having bonn
told II was immaterial whether his testamen.
were made on paper. parchment. canvas or
wood. chose to write 1t on his door which had
accordingly to be unscrewed from It's hinges
and carried into court for proving. Tho short
est will on record Is one proved in tho I..wes
PROBATE Court At the beginning OF November.
1878. 1t was contained In eight words. namely.
Mrs. - to have all when die
Among ambiguous legaccs tho author cites
clever trick of u tsstntor who detected by
which OF his lcGntces he was most sincerely
Elournod. Tho man. it seams. died In Berlin
leaving about $4,000. nil OF which. with tho
exception OF 1850. was to DO given to the au-
thorities Of his native place. 1t WAS further
provided that the $3.50 should be equally divid.
oil among nine Of his relatives and one friend.
with whom as tho testator said he had for
merly had quarrel. II was stipulated in the
will that none Of these legatees was to follow
his coffin and the relatives. on their part.
strictly, observed tho stipulation. But tho
friend. mindful OF old times went to the
churchyard. and. on tho coffin being low
cred. throw In three handfus Of dust
This proof Of sincere regard for the
deceased mot with Its reward. for by and
by codicil turned up. directing that In
the event OF any OF the ten legatess disregard
ing the Injunction not to follow tho coffin to the
grave tho contumacious one should receive the
bulk OF the fortune. which otherwise would go
to the tsstator's native town. In another In
stancs testatQr's intentions were neatly evntl-
ed legacy 81 1000 was ham pered with the
condition that half Of 1t must DO placed in the
tastntor's coffin and buried with him. After
anxious reflection and consultation. the lsgateo
met the difficulty by writing a check for 81 900
drawn to tho order OF the deceased and duti-
fully placing It In the old mans conn. An
other Englishman named George. who died in
the colonies pos sessed OF large property con-
trived to make life burden to his executors
by imagining and inserting In HIS will two heirs
who had no existence hut in his brain. He
named as his residuary lsgatees q son and
daughter whom he assorted 10 be his children
by beautiful Circassan he had married
At Plymouth In A. Peters Church. He
added that. though tho lady had subsequently
eloped with n psrson. he borc no III will TO the
children whoM she had taken with her. but
should DO glad TO think they would be traced
and apprised OF their good fortune. The exec
utors wore pretty well worn out In the search
for those imaginary heirs before they dsoov-
cred tho whole story to 10 u fabrication. The
most embarrassing will. however. OF which we
have over heard is credited by the compiler OF
this volume to Mr.. Smith Willie who Is said
| to havo died four years AZ" in PENNSYLVANIA.
fi, l.