The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-06-08


The whims and vagaries of testators
seem to be of an endless variety. They
have become proverbial. Almost daily
we may notice paragraphs detailing be-
quests of moro or less extraordinary
nature, and latterly the United States
would appear to have been more pro-
life than other regions of singular
wills. Quite recently, the late Lord
Marlborough made the following curl
Gus provision in his will. He gave
most explicit directions, that after a
certain period elapses, his body is to
be exhumed and reinterred in Bardsey
Island. This island, it will be remem-
berered, lies to the OF north Cardigan
Bay, and is reputed to have no fewer
than 20, 600 saints buried in its soil.
Only the other day, too, Henry
Eberle, of Frankfort, left an estate val
ued at $25. 1000 to be expended in the
erection Of monument over his grave.
His will was executed In 1869, and
gives minute instructions as to the mon
umeut. Three shares Of the cemetery
stock are bequeathed to the Cemetery
Company, the income upon which is to
maintain the monument in good repair.
A far more extraordinary will than
either of the above was. however, made
by Solomon Sanborn, Of Medford.
Mass, who was q halter by trade. He
left his body to the late Prof. Agassiz
and DR.. o. w. Holmes, to be by them
prepared in the most skillful and sci
entifc manner known to anatomical
art, and placed in the anatomical
museum of Harvard College. Two
drumheads were to be made of the skin.
Upon one was to be inscribed Alexan.
der Pope's Universal Prayer" on the
other, the Declaration Of Independ'
ence;" and then they were to be pre-
sented to the testator's distinguished
FRIEND" the drummer of Cohasset
This presentation was subject to the
condition that on the 18th Of June, Al
sunrise, every year, the drummer
should beat upon the drumheads at the
foot of Bunker's Hill. the spirit-stirrinf
strains of Yankee Doodle"
Another American, who died within
the last few months, reflects in his VIII
that he was Stunned by his relatives
"who can not, now that am dying, d,
too much for my comfort" But DIR
Wagner takes on these relations |
CHASTITY revenge. To his brother. Ma
poleon Bonaparte. he bequeaths hi
LETT arm and hand; and to anothe
brother, George Washington, his RICH
arm and hand; and to others his legs
nose, ears, etc. Further, the testatol
leaves 81, 900 for the Remembering o
his body.
Among other testators who have dis
played this remarkable tendency t
leave legacies in the form of portion
of their bodily frames, or the frame il
it's entire condition. may be instances
DR.. Ellerby and Jeremy Bentham
The will of DR.. Elierby, who died i
London in 1927, contained the follow
ing requests: II bequeath my hear
to Mr.. w., anatomist; my lungs to MI
R., and my brain to Mr.. F., in orde
that they may preserve them from dc
composition; and further declare tina
If these gentlemen shall fail faithful
to execute these my last wishes in thi
respect l will come and torment ther
until they shall comply"
In spite of this threat however, tn
benefciaries declined their legacies.
Jeremy Bentham. again, bequeathe
his body to a hospital, with instruction
that his skeleton should be prepare
and cleaned, and his head preserve
entire, and that he should-when thu
treated-preside at the meetings of tt
hospital directors. Whether he Wa
ever made to actually preside is doub
full; but it is certain that the skeleto
was preserved, and may now be see
in the hospital museum. The prese
walton of the head was, howeve
bluudered, and one of wax had to b
substituted.
Many wills have reference to the d
nestle felicity, or the reverse. exper
: enced by those who executed them. 4
an example of the former, we may gil
the following passage from the settl
. ment of Lady Palmerston, an ancestre
of the celebrated Premier. Referring
i. her husband. she says: "As l ha
, long given you my heart, and my te
derest affections and fondest wish
. have always been yours. 90 Is eve
/, thing else that / possess; and all that
can call mine being already yours,
have nothing to give but my heartie
r thanks for the care and kindness y
!. have. at any time, shown me, either
Q sickness or in health. for which G
r Almighty will, l hope, reward you IL
better world. Then for ''form's SAX