The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-05-08
LOVE ALL HE HAD Tc LEAVE.
Lounsbury, Poor and Insane, Left
Beautiful Will.

y
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 in the Cook County Asylum at
Dunning. Ill, were disposed to agree
with him. Here it is:
.I, Charles Lounshury, being OF
sound mind and disposing memory.
do hereby make and publish this, my
last will and testament. in order as
Justly as may be TO distribute my IN
terest in the world among succeeding
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 it in this
my will.
..My right to live being but a life
estate, is not at my disposal, but
these things excepted. all else in the
world I now proceed to devise and
bequeath:
Item: I give to good fathers and
mothers, in trust for their children.
all good little words Of praise and
encoura cement, and all quaint pet
names and endearments, and charge
said parents to use them justly and
generously, as the needs of their chill
dren may require.
item: I leave to children inclu-
sively. but only for the term Of their
childhood, all and every, the towers
of the fields and blossoms 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 I devise to children the banks OF
the brooks, and the golden sands be-
| meath the waters 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 thousand ways, ana
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: I 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
NAV fish, or where, when grim winter
comes. one may skate; to have and to
hold the same for the period Of their
boyhood. And all meadows with the
clover blossoms and butterflies there7
of. the woods and their appurte-
nances. the squirrels and birds, and
echoes of the strange noises, and all
distant places which may be visited,
together with the adventures there
found. And I give to said boys each
his own place at the hreside at night,
with all pictures that may be seen IN
the burning wood. to enjoy without
let or hindrance and without any in
cumbrance Of care.
Item: To lovers, I devise their
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 whlch
they may desire to figure to each 9TH
er the lastingness and beauty of
their love.
Item: To young men jointly de-
wise and bequeath all boisterous, IN
spring sports Of rivalry. and give
70 them the disdain Of weakness and
undaunted confidence in their own
strength. though they are rude; 1
give them the power to make lasting
friendships, and of possessing com
panions. and to them exclusively l
give all merry songs and brave cho-
ruses, to sing with lusty voices.
Item: And to those who are no
longer children or youths or lovers l
leave memory, and I bequeath 10
them the volumes of the poems Oh
Burns and Shakespeare and of other
noets. if there be others, to the END
that they may live over the old days
again. freely and fully, without tlthe