The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1905-12-06
A WILL

"A WILL
Beautiful in Sentiment Written
by an Insane Chicago
Lawyer
A REMARKABLE LEGAL DOCUMENT |
The human mind is peculiar instru-
ment. The mind OF man justly ad-
Judged insane by his fellowmen will
turn out veritable masterpieces OF
poetry and literature now and again.
the ways and means by which the un
balanced mental machinery accomplish
% at once such real wonders, and such
wonderful mistakes. constitutes one OF
the most perplexiug mysteries known
TO the scientific student; mystery,
second only in intensity. strangeness
and interest, to the mystery OF lie
itself. saws an article i'll Patton'sI
Monthly.
The following document, a will
framed with such perfection OF form and
detail that no flaw could be found IN
Its legal phrsseology or matters, yet
''devIsing" only those beauties ana
blessings which the Great Father de-
yised long ago to all human creatures,
WAS recently rescued f. ON a large col
lection of other legal but less interest
ing papers.
1t was written by Charles Lounsbury,
a Chicago LAWYER of much skill at one
period of his existence, hut who qled
AN insane patient in the Cook county
ASYLUM at Dunning. This strange VIII
has only lust reached its resting place
in the vaults of the Chicago Trust Co.
Being composed so perfectly it was
duly sent, after the writer's demise. to
! the Probate Court. There being moth
ing to probate, however, sincetHe poetic
devisor died absolutely destitute and
penniless, il was merely placed on hle.
The document is now given for the sake
of its intrinsic beauty and peculiar in
terest:
THE REMARKABLE WILL
I, Charles Lounsbury, being OF sound
and dispOsing mind aud memory, do
hereby make and publish this, my last
will and testament, in order, as justly
as may be, to distribute my interest in
the world to succeeding men. That
part of nv interests which is known in
law and recognized in sheep bound
volumes as my property, being incon-
siderable and OF no account, L make no
disposal of in this, my will. My right
to live. being but life estate, is not at
nv disposal, but these things excepted,
all else in the world now proceed to
devise and bequeath.
give good fathers and mothers, IN
trust for their children, all good little
words of praise and encouragement
and all quaint, pet names and endear-
ments, and charge said parents to use
them Justly but generously, as the
needs of their children shall require.
| leave to children exclusively, bu'
only for the term OF their CHILDHOOD
all and every the flowers OF the field
and the blossoms of the woods, with the
right TO play among them freely, ac-
cOrding TO the custom of the children,
warning them at the same time against
the thistles and the thOIns. And de-
wise to the children the banks OF br' oks
and the golden sands beneath the
waters thereof, and the "dors of the
willows that dip therein. and the white
clouds that float high over the giant
trees. And leave the children the
long, long days To be merry. in In
thousand ways, and the night and the
moon, and the train IF the milky-way
to wonder at, but subject, nevertheless.
to the rights hereinafter given to lovers
/ devise to boys, jointly, all OF the
useful, Idle fields ami commons where
ball may be played, all pleasant waters
where one may swim, all snow-clad
hills where one may coast. and all
streams and ponds where one may fish
and where, when grim winter comes,
one NAV skate, to have and to hold the
same for the period of their boyhood.
And all the meadows, with the clover
blossoms and butterflies thereof, the
woods with their appurtenanees, the
squirrels and birds, and echoes and
strange noises. and all distant places
which may be visited, together with
the adventures there found, And l
give to said boys, each his own place
at the Preside at night, with all the
pictures that may be seen in the burn
ing wood, to enjoy without hindrance
and without any incumbrance of care.
Tc lovers l devise their imaginary
j wQEJd with whatever they may need,
AS the stars of the sky, the red f5sses
by the wall, the bloom of the haW-
thorn, the sweet strains OF music and
aught else that they may desire, to
figure each o.her the lastingness and
beauty of their love.
To young men jointly devise and
bequeath all 'boisterous, inspiring sporI
of rivalry, and give to them the dis
dain OF weakness and uudaunted conf
dence in their own strength. Though
they are rude, l leave to them the
powers to make lasting friendships. and
of possessing companions, and to them
exclusively l give all merry songs anu
brave choruses 10 sing with lustv
voices.
And TO those who are no longer
children. or youths, or lovers, leave
memory, and bequeath to them the
volumes of the poems of B rms and
Shakespeare, and of other poets, If
there be any, to the end that they may
live the old days over again, freely and
fully without 1.-THE or dImunition.
To the loved ones with snowy crowns,
l bequesth the happiness OF old age
the love and gratitude of their children
until they fall asleep
ONLY GUARANTEED
CATARRH CURE
'HyOme Costs You Nothing If 1t Fails" Say