The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-07-15
BY MARGARET u. sANGsTER

GeAlaS.
BY MARGARET Z. sANGsTER.
4 Copyright. 1903. by Joseph 8. Bowies3
Wills and testaments are supposed to
/ be necessary when men and women have
large estates. real or personal, to be-
have only little property are often
| careless about this duty, and indisposed
TO attend to it. Having little to leave
they either think they may. as well leave
| hat little to any hap-hazard chance, or,
influenced by vague superstition, they
put Of considering the day Of their
death.
/ Nobody likes to think of death. To
make ones will indeed brings the IN
evitable hour no nearer, but the act
\ forces on consciousness the certainty
that the hour is coming. Furthermore,
| though the hour is itself certain, the
time or method Of its approach is full OF
uncertainty. We may live to round out
| a century. Here and there a man does.
We may die tomorrow, by sudden IL
ness or accident. The train may crash
| in a collision, the steamer spring a fatal
| leak, the pleasure-boat take fire, the
mortal epidemic pounee on US like
| stealthy beast of prey. These are pos
sible catastrophes. Ofscourse the proba-
biIties if we are well and strong are all
| in our favor, Being in ordinary vigor,
obeying the laws of nature. and occupy
ing healthful environment, we should
expect to live out our days, to a peaceful
and ripe age, as strong in this century at
four score as men were at forty 300
years ago.
ago.
Everything in our modern life, with
its comforts and Injuries. should make
for longevity. But sooner or later, we
must pass on and leave room on the
earth for our successors.
Therefore, knowing that we can take
nothing with US, whether We own much
or little. we should carefully look itoyer,
and decide now it is to be divided. IN
different localities, the laws differ. and
a layman should not trust to himself to
make his will unaided. Secure the serv-
ices of a good lawyer, and tell him in
plain terms how you want to divide your
property.
First in importance i mans
provision for the comfortable mainte-
rance of his widow. If he have children
he must secure them against want, SO
far as be may. Minor children are to
be educated. During the lifetime of
their mother, sons and daughters should
not receive their portions, if by di-
vision of the estate she shall be left in
dependence. or crippled in her means.
If husband has confidence in his wife.
as woman of honor, Justice and com
her by SO making his will that she may
carry on his plans, and his children re
ceiVe their portions at her death This
Of course is matter for individual set
tlement, and depends wholly on circum-
stances. Men of millions are not ham
pered by the rules that here apply to men
whose estate includes only few thou
sands. Any will must be legally wit
messed by as many witnesses as the
state approves.
Even an eminent lawyer has been
known SO to word his will that his
legatees have fought bitterly over its
provisions in prolonged and furious It'll
cation, The will Of the late Samuel j.
Tilden is a case in point. Mr. Tilden in
tended the bulk Of his fortune to go !
toward the founding and perpetual en-
doWment of a monumental library IN
New York. His heirs disputed it, and
able lawyers picked flaws in technical
ties and otherwise, SO that eventually
the money was largely diverted from the
testator,s purpose. The moral is OBJ
vious. II you have much to bestow, en-
list the best legal advice you can, and
have that In turn reinforced by other
counsel.