St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1912-09-20
WHIMSICAL WILLS
Human Nature as Shown In
Queer Requests and Bequests.
FEAR OF PREMATURE BURIAL.

This Dread Has Often Been the Cause
Of Curious Provisions In Last Testa.
nents-The Grave Of Man Who
Disliked the Society OF Women.
The remarkable will OF a man WIN
died not long ago directing the under
taker TO stab him through the heart
after he had been pronounced dead by
bis physician is not unique one. The
fear of being buried alive has driven
many a man to stipulate 10 bis will
that extraordinary steps he taken to
make sure OF death.
Thus. for instance. magnate Of
Plymouth. England. decreed by bis
will that his wife should cut Off one
of his toes or fingers to make sure he
was dead. adding that he made the
request 30 that ''as she had been trou.
bled with one old fool she will not
think Of marrying a second"
The will OF Lord Lytton contained
special directions as 10 the eXamina
ton Of his body in order to provide
against the possibility Of his being
buried while ip n trance. which ap.
peared TO be an apprehension Of his.
A farmer OF Hertfordshire. England.
who died IN 1720. was 10 certain TINT
his lethal slumber was to he not really
death. that he inserted In his will his
written wish that. ''as he was about
20 take a thirty years nap. his coffin
might he suspended from n beam In
bis barn and by no means nailed
down" He however. permitted it to
be locked. provided hole were made
In the side. through which the key
might be pushed. NJ that he might let
himself out when be awoke. His
nephew. who Inherited the property.
obeyed his whim and did not bury The
coffin till 1851. allowing him an extra
year OF grace.
The sieur Body. who died In isih NJ
the nge OF nlnety-slr. said IN his VIII
Eight aud forty hours after my de
cease desire that n post mortem ex.
animation he made. that my heart he
taken out aud placed In an urn. which
shall he lntrusted TO VI. Baudoip dhe
undertaken. In conformity with ap
arrangement between him and myself
my heart Is TO be conveyed 20 a
mausoleum In the department OF Ia
Mayenne and there To be deposited. as
agreed"
Robert. the famous Enrl OF Mellent
aud Leicester. one of the early cru
snders In the holy lnnd. died In Ills
In the abby OF preaux. where his
body was buried. but his heart was
conveyed TO the hospital at Brnckley
there 20 be preserved iD salt. Isabella
daughter Of he Earl Of Pembroke, who
died In i23n. ordered her heart 10 be-
sent In n silver cup 10 her brother.
then abbot of TewkesLdry. 10 be buried
there befor, the high uitar The heart
OF John Baliol. lord of Barnard cas-
tle. who died In i2Ja. was by his wid
ow's desire inclosed In an ivory casket
richly enameled with silver
But all these examples. strange NJ
they may be. are not especially ~
markable among the countless nnm
bers OF curious willis which ARE record
ed through many generbtions.
There h. for example. the will OF
rich old bachelor. who. incensed nt
what he considered the attempts of his
"a mily 20 put him under the yoke OF
matrlmony. vented his spite on the
whole ser of women by saying In his
will. Il beg that nv executors will
see that am buried where there II no
woman Inferred. either 10 the right OF
a.. h.. iaFe 81 AHAnIA This Ia
practicable In the ordinary course Of
things dire't that they purchase
three graves aud bury ue In the mid
die one of the three. leaving the two
others unoc'upied "
John Reed. gaslighier OF the Walnut
street theater. Philadelphia. oiled that
post for forty,four years There Is
not on record \ single performnnce at
the theaIer at which ne was not pres
ent. tie never asplred 10 appear on
the stage IN his lifetime. but he was
not without his mute ambitions aud
Defore he died ne contrived Ingenious
~ 10 make sure OF assuming shake
spearean rO,e after his death A clause
In his will read
MY head is TO ne separated from
my body Immediately after my death.
the latter Ia be buried In a grave. the
former. duly macerHted and prepared.
to be brought 10 the theater. where !
have served all my life. and 10 be EN-
ployed TO represent the skull OF yorirk.
and 20 this end ! beIueath my head 10
the properties York sun