The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-18

better that Mr.. BarStow's character should
be read in his will, which contains the fol
owing unusual provisions:
/ desire my estate to be distributed in ac-
cordance with the laws of the State of Cali
fornia.
l desire my widow to be executrix of this
will, and that no bond is required of her in
any proceedings growing out of her trust. /
authorize and empower her to sell any and all
real or personal property belonging to my es-
tate at private or public sale, without the order
of any court or tribunal, and that she have as
full and free right of disposition thereof as
though the title of all said property vested in
her, and my only object in making this will is
to facilitate the settlement of my estate.
think that no man should have the power
to go further than this. do not believe the
dead should NEEDLE with the quick. When a
person is once comfortably laid away, let him
cease from trouble, and let the living carry on
the business of life. Very probably the dead
one will have all he can attend to if the ere
ligious Doctors are half right as to the
truths they hand out.
The novelty of this remarkable will lies
in the first and third paragraphs, as the
provisions of the second are not uncom-
mon. If this will does not discover par
| ticularly lofty character we have read the
| riddle of human nature in vain. It's first
element is a dignifed respect for the law
| and faith in the honesty of the courts. Its
second is the peculiar third paragraph,
| which, besides sustaining in spirit the first
paragraph, calmly lays down the rule OF
conduct for others, making all who may
read and heed it the beneficiaries of its
| provisions. Even the grim and somewhat
! irreverent humor of the last sentence car
ries lesson.
| The last paragraph gives the necessary
inference that the maker of will has no
right to leave his property for any pur
| poses other than those specified in the laws
of the State. These laws were framed prin-
| cipally to serve in the case of those who
die intestate. Mr.. Barstow S only variation
from their provisions is the relief of his
| widow from bonds and the handling and
disposition of the property by her without
the supervision of the courts. That he
should be less lenient than the law and
show a greater confidence in the widow
with reference to the rights and interests
Of the children is private matter with
him and her and is one with which the
| public is not concerned.
| He has announced the principle that a
man has not the right to devise money to
| friends and distant relations and for benev-
olent purposes. 1t would not be fair to
infer from this that he was opposed to the
employment of money in these kindly and
beneticent ways, for we have the will itself
by which to read the kindness and gener-
osity of his nature. The small fortune
which ne leaves is not more than sufficient
for the support of his family in the COM
! fort approximating that to which they have
been accustomed. If he had been pos
sessed Of twenty million instead of twenty
| thousand we may be sure that large part
of his fortune would have been employed
| by him for these outside beneficences dur
ing his lifetime, under his wise personal
supervision, with immeasurably better re-
suits than those which accrue from bene-
factions becoming operative only after the
| death of the donor.
This simple will is the noblest sermon
that has been preached to men of large
means in many a year, and for men of
moderate means who have built such a
home as his it is perfect model.