Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-05-02
ODD FINAL REQUESTS.
Curious Wishes Made by Persons
When Dying.
Bequests Have Been Made to Provide
Drinks, Shaves, Rides and Music for
M0urnsrs-Eccsntric to
the Last.


body knows, but the great majority Of
them confne their eccentricities Il
their life upOn this sphere. Few oI
them make arrangements TO keep them.
selves before the public eye after death
but the few who do so exhibit a fertility
Of ideas that would have been Of great
value to them In the advertising line
during their lives.
The latest exponent Of post-mortem
crankism was a queer old farmer Of
Kent, Saratoga county, this state, who
recently departed this life, says the
New York Advertiser. He left explicit
directions in his will as to his burial,
the most noteworthy being that he
should have his favorite pair Of raw
hide boots as a part Of his grave clothes
and that he should be taken to the
cemetery In the family sleigh. His
wishes were carried out to the letter
and he was whirled up to his last rest
ing place to the accompaniment Of
jingling bells and buried with his boots
on.
A Brooklyn saloonkeeper, who was
as jolly in life as he was fat, left direc-
lions with his widow as he gasped
"Good-by" to set aside one hundred
dollars Of his estate with which to pro-
vide beer for his friends on the dreary
drive to the cemetery. The widow not
only provided every carriage with fiftv
bottles Of the cheering beverage, but
drew on the saloon stock for two kegs
full, which were emptied at the side Of
the coffin before 1t was taken from the
house.
Another sal0onkeeper, Staten
Islander, whose place was famous re-
sort for fishermen and was himself an
ardent angler, often said that he
would never lie content in the cold
ground. So he made arrangements to
have his body cremated and imposed
the dying injunction on his friends 20
see that his ashes were scattered about
on the salt water he loved SO well,
from the head Of the statue Of Liberty.
His wishes were religiously carried out
and the funeral party returned to his
old saloon and drank ''his health" as
provided in his will.
Still another saloonkeeper. whose
place was well over on the east side of
town and who was an inveterate fisher
man also, had his ashes committed to
the deep. lie was a member Of a little
fishing club that went down in tug to
Romcr Shoals every Sunday during the
season. lie found when on his death.
bed that he had but fifty dollars be.
yond his cremation fees and he decided
to give the "boys" good time with it.
lie ordered that the money be applied
to the hiring and stocking of the tug
for the first trip after his death and
asked that his ashes be taken alone
md dumped overheard ut the shoals
while schooner Of beer was drunk to
his memory 1t was done as he ordered.
A female keeper Of tramps' lodging
house in Montreal is about the only
woman on record who devised for her
self q funeral on other than convention.
Il lines. She left orders that all her
odgew DO provided with a shave, a
and high hat with mourn
ng ribbons, and that they all follow
ler body to the grave behind two brass
bands. The bands were to play the
Dead March in Saul on the outgoing
rip, but to play "The Girl Left Be-
lind Me" all the way. home. The
churches attempted to stop the carry.
ng out of her remarkable injunctions
nut were unsuccessful, and the old
woman was serenaded as per desire.
The most horrible Of all these grew.
ONE provisions was that made by
Virginia colonel, who died about TWEEN
y-fve years ago, in Amelia county Vie
under penalty of cutting off |
rom all his possessions, that his widow
ave him put in an open coffin in |
lump of woods near the house, and
cave him there for six weeks. Every
morning and evening Of that time she
vas to come to him and brush his hair
hu "iisners' huchny INC colonel
numeu OH his mortal coll In the middle |