Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-22
CONCERNING WILLS.

CONCERNING WILLS.
The Magnificent style Of Modern Days Con. 3
trasted with the Productions Of Old. 81
{ have been giving some attention to
the various important Wills reported
by a venal press. I find them Inc
structive. Austerely SO. Not to say
that the wills of the rich do not afford
also real entertainment to many sem
sible people; but speak Of them from
my own standpoint. So far they have
not appealed to my personal sense OF
the amusing. ,s 5 E. .=zs..s.
My abstract researches show that
the style of Wills is changing. They
are becoming more magnificent. 1t il
not an uncommon thing to find an heir
receiving million or two million dol.
lars; to find loving son-the hard
headed one of the family-in.a posi-
ton to wipe away his more bitter tears
with the stock of half railroad; to
see another loving son, who has shown
himself properly possessed of the filial
quality of '.business Judgment, taxi
ing his melancholy way up q fashion
able avenue with the title deeds to
most of it in his pocket.
This change in Wills has been SO
sudden as to take many unawares. A
young friend of mine, accustomed to
the older and more modest and stAid
style of will, is an instance of this. He
tells me that he had been living all his
life in the same block with young
lady who about a year ago married
| chump''-I give my friends own Ian
guage-''a chump from Rochester. I
thought nothing of the circumstance"
he continued; supposed it was all
right; but now her father has died, and
his will gives her million-and there
was living right in the same blOck!'.
He says that he will go around that
block more now, but I judge from his
expressions of disgust that he will go
around so fast - under self-inflicted
kicks-that he will not have oppor-
tunity to much improve his acquaint-
ance. "a million-and there was
living right in the same block"
Wills are certainly growing very
magnificent, But while it is good
idea that in will man should give
as much as he can conveniently spare
from his business, it is also true that
too great cost in fashion tends rather
to discouragementt than to health emu
lation. This may result in a deadly
injury to literature.
Under the luxurious vogue now rul-
ing, no uncle with any sense of the
ridiculous will go to India, heap up a
fortune, get himself forgotten and make
a will-all for the purpose of leaving
nephew in the Sunday-school line
'tenough to buy back the old COW and
the red farm from the grasping farm
err. Neither will there be bequethed a
''snug fortune of $4,000 to the boy
who five years before nobly refused to
belt the devisor in the back of the head
with, snow-ball. This is bad; not
that I core for the boys disappoint-
ment, but if school imps learn that Or
binary decency is not paying large
dividends, we shall all be snow-balled
to death before we get our debts paid.
Formerly, with a few dollars worth
of personal plumber and stock of good
advice and sanguine expectations, q
man could make a very nice and stylish
will. The form was about az follows
Il, John Peterby Williams, being in
full possession OF all my monumental
faculties, do bequeath to my beloved
wife, Nancy Lee, Williams, in lieu Of
dover, dentrifice or dotal gift, my sci
of Plutarch's Lives and my MS. poems.
Item. TO my son, William Williams,
my uniform coat of the Goshen Guards,
and the cost of probating this Will
Nem,.-To my daughter, Eliza Will
1ams, the whole rest; residue and
remainder of my estate, whether real
or personal, in action or in repose,
wherever it may be found; and il not
found, then she to pay the cost of the
search. Nem.-And I do will, be.
queath, devise and execute, aud do
hereby release to my youngest son,
Algcrnon Williams, my Waterbury
watch, earnestly believing that while
he is winding it each day he will have
ample time for forming good resolu.
tions, and that, in the brief intervals
afterward, he will have no appreciar
bic opportunity OF falling away from
them.'' ..,>.,.. ... ..
But this style Of will went out with
the cameo ''breast-pin.'' It is sim
gular reflection that the. two qualities,
size and value, received about the same
treatment in each.- Wsllisto,s Fish, IN
Puck. ...,.----..~. ....... -
| Tho Mo4hor - Loroo-as-