Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-04-24
LOVE ALL HE
HAD TO LEAVE
LOUNSBURY, POOR AND INSANE,
LEFT A BEAUTIFUL
WILL.

Justice Walter Lloyd Smith, who
presides over the third department
of the Appellate Division of the SUI
preme Court. brought with him to
the dinner OF the New York Univer-
sity Law School Alumni Association
Saturday night what he said was the
most remarkable document that ever
came into his possession. Others who
read the document. the last Will and
testament Of Charles Lounsbury, who
died i'm the Cook County Asylum at
Cunning, ILL.,. were disposed TO agree
with him. Here 1t is:
81, Charles Lounsbury, being of
sound mind and disposing memory,
do hereby make ana publish this,
my last will and testament, in order
as Justly as may be to distribute my
interest In the world among succeed
ing men.
THAT part OF my interest which is
known in law and recognized In the
sheep-bound volumes as my property
being inconsiderable and of no ac-
count. I make no disposal OF in this
my will
MY right to live being but life
estate. is not at my disposal, but
these things excepted, all else In the
world I now proceed to devise and
bequeath:
Item: | give to good fathers and
mothers, in trust for their children
all good little words of praise and
Encouragement, and all quaint pet
names and endearments, and
charge said parents to use them just
" and generously. as the needs OF
their children may require.
Item: | leave 10 children in
clusively, hut only for the term OF
their childhood, all and every, the
flowers Of the fields and the bios
SONS of the woods, with the right to
play among them freely according to
the customs of children warning them
at the same time against thistles and
thorns And | devise to children the
banks of the brooks, and the golden
sands beneath the wat rs thereof,
and the odors 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 a thousand
ways, and the night and the moon
and the train of the Milky Way to
wonder at, but subject, nevertheless,
to the rights hereinafter given to
lovers
Item / devise to boys jointly all
the useful idle fields and commons
where ball may be played; all pleas
ant waters where one may swim; all
snowclad hills where one may coast,
and all streams and ponds where one
may fish, or where, when grim win
ter comes, one may skate; to have
and hold the same for the period of
their boyhood. And all meadows with
the clover blossoms and butterflies
thereof, the woods and their appur-
tenances, the squirrels and birds, and
echoes of the strange noises, and
all distant places which may be visi-
ted, together with the adventures
there found. And I give to said boys
each his own place at the fireside at
night. with all pictures that may be
seen in the burning wood, to enjoy
without let or hinderance and with
out any incumberance of care.
Item: To young men jointly !
imaginary world. with whatever they
may need, as the stars of the sky, the
red roses by the wall, the bloom OF
the hawthorn, the sweet strains OF
music and aught else by which they
may desire to figure to each other
the lastingness and beauty of their
love
Item: To young men pointly ]
devise and bequeath all boisterous
inspiring sports OF rivalry, and 7 give
to them the disdain of weakness and
undaunted confidence in their owr
strength though they are rude:
give them the power to make lasting
friendships, and Of possessing com
panions. and to them exclusively
give all merry songs and brave
choruses. to sing with lusty voices.
Item And to those who are M
longer children or youths or lovers
leave memory, and I bequeath Il
them the volumes OF the poems o
Burns and Shakespeare and OF otaet
poets. If there be others to the enc
that they may live over the old day
again freely and fully. without tith,
or diminution
Item TO our loved ones Will
snowy crowns I bequeath the hap
piness of old age, the love and graft
tude Of their children until they fal
asleep"