The Indianapolis journal., 1890-11-22
A wOMAN's STRANGE WILL.
Her Unborn Babe, If q Boy, to Receive 81
If q Girl, q Fortune.

Her Unborn Babe, If q Boy, to Receive 81;
if a Girl, q Fortune.
Boston Herald.
The residents of Pearl street and vicin-
ity, East S0merville. have had their curl.
osity aroused By strange will. the provis-
ions of which have Just been made known.
On this street stands a comfortable two
story house. located on well-cared-for
grounds, aud, till recently, occupied by it's
owner, Ezra s. Conant and his wife. Mr..
and Mrs. Cenant had three children. two
daughters and a son. Edwin ID. Conant,
now q wholesale dealer in groceries, on
Commerce street, in this city.
The old man, Ezra COnant, was whole
sale grocer, and while he was q liberal man
in his domestic relations and In the matter
Of church work ana charities, was still dill
igent and careful in business affairs and liz
time became possessed of o comfortable
fortune. When he became of suitable
age his son. Edwin ID. Conant, married. and
christened Callie. The wife died In giving
birth to this daughter. and Mr.. and Mrs.
Ezra COnant, the grandparents of the child,
stepped forward and took it off it's fathers
hands. Though they never legally adopted
1t. they treated 1t in all respects AS II it
were their own child. and with it's grand
parents of whom it became very found, the
little girl lived and grew up.
In due course of time Mr.. Edwi Conant
took to himself second wife, who is still
three daughters. still living. and q son, who
died. At the time of his second marriage
Mr.. Conant gave his daughter her choice of
coming Co live with him or remaining with
her grandparents, of which she chose the
latter. By and by lover came along in
the shape of young wIdower born and
bred in nSomerville-Mr. William f. Blalkie,
now all architect at No. 1914 Washington
hand and won it, with the consent of her
family, and they were duly married. Many
OF the wedding presents. coming from her
friends and relatives. all of whom were we'll
off. were of great intrinsic value, and her
grandfather gave her check for 81 900.
The newly married couple took up their
residence at the old homestead on Pearl
street. with the old people, Ezra Conant
and his wife. Not long after they had come
| there to live Ezra Conant died He left q
divided in thirds, one-third to 60 to each of
his three children, Mr.. Edwin Conant, Mrs.
Henry Hadley, wife of the teacher of mu-
sic in the Somerville schools. and Mrs. Car
| rie Z. Stickney. now Mrs. Z. G. Scripture.
| The will further provided that MIR. Edwin
| Conant, upon receiving his share. should
Immediately make over One-seventh of it to
his daughter. Mrs Blaikie. The only pro-
the homestead and its contents should be
hers during her lifetime. and that she
should be properly cared for by the chill
dren.
will were complied with, Mrs Blaikie re-
ceived her seventh of her fathers share.
and. in addition. Mrs. Ezra Conant made
over to her granddaughter q Sl0,0O0 life in.
surance policy which her late husband
| had left. Shortly after this Mrs. Ezra
Conant herself died, and left to Mrs.
| Blake all her valuable personal effects
My mutual consent Of all the members OF
| the family, Mrs. Blaikie then bought the
homestead and It's contents at o very low
| Aaha nd hn hon nd .nr o1
to live there
A few weeks ago Mrs. Blaikie began to
grow very despondent over her approach
ing confinement. Her mother had died in
| childbirth, as had also her husband's first
wife. and she seemed to feel that she would
| not survive the ordeal.
She broOded over her approaching travail
until she resolved to make her will. Law
yer Orren S. Knapp, an old friend of the
family, was accordingly sent for and DIRE "
mp will in accordance with Mrs. Blaikie'l
wishes. On the morning of Nov. Inst. Mr.
Knapp died very suddenly Of heart disease
Mrs. Blaikie's fears and fOrebodings proved
to be well grounded. A little over three
| few hours afterward
When her will was opened it proved to be
very strange document. 1t provided thai
If her child was a daughter, she should re-
ceive all her mothers property, with the
exception of her diamonds. which should
90 to Mr.. Biaikie. But if the child were
son. all the mothers property, with the ex
ception of the 81 necessary to legally estab
iish the sons birth, should go to Mr. Blaikie
After Mrs. Blakie's death, her aunt. Mrs
Scripture. whose home is now in Tennessee
and who has no children of her own. leg ally
adopted the child whose birth had cost iti
mother her life
Mr.. Blaikie 10 living in the old Ezra
C0pant homestead, with the two children
which his first wife bore him.
This strange will has excited much curl
| Osity in Somerville among those who know
the family, and there are many surmises al
to the causes that led to its being drawn
The married life Of the Blaikies has Away
seemed to their many friends to be- very
happy one. What led to the drafting o.
so strange Wilt Why did this youni
mother leave her son entirely unprovidet
for?