Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-21
Oldfish on Requests.

l
fancy of what | should do when |
came to make my last will and tesla :
ment were | possessed of a million or
more of dollars. At such times, warm
ing my heart with the contemplation
of these postmortem benefactions, the
thought of the all too numerous OBJ
! jects upon which they should be be-
slowed, and the insufficieney of one
poor million of dollars. has greatly
depressed me. Not only has this led
me to more careful consideration in
the hestowal of these imaginary gifts,
| but I .lave been compelled to cut off
some worthy enterprises and some de-
serving relatives and friends with a
bare shilling.
| "Othefs than myself doubtless have
| been inspired by like benevolent inn
| pulses, and some. deceived in the very
| Kindness of their hearts by these vain
fancies. have devised generous gifts.
which the heirs and assigns were new
er able to discover, no matter how
keen and thorough the search. OF
course, the new Inheritance tax Will
not affect YOU or me or these others,
| except that after due search the con-
stable VIII mark on his official paper
the words non inventus,' or, in brief
| er Vernacular, 'nothin' doin' There
are some who may erumble over this
tax. but much greater number Of us
could accept hership and pay the tax
With the utmost cheerfulness.
There have been persons who into
their Wills carried their dislikes and
prejudices-carried even their hatreds
l no q w IN ha m adj fII1e
tNill after another or attached tantal-
lizing eodicils to take away from ex-
pectant heirs the money, real estate.
goods and chattels once devised. Civ
ing NEST ugly reasons therefor, dis
closing improper secrets and rafting
a skeleton in the closet long after its
dusty old bones had been forgotten
You ard | have known such cases In
this community. but we shall say no
Thing ahout them. AS far as the male
VIOLENT testator is concerned no longer
seek his virtues to disclose. nor draw
his frailties from their dread abode
1.-The freak will and testament new
Ter prevailed to any great extent III
itnis country. A few elderly spinsters
Ihave witnessed their dislike To male
humanity by making requests to cats
dogs and canary birds, but this has
Inever developed into an epidemic
lFrancc and particularly England have
laIways led us in the making of these
Ifreak,sh wills. Too often their pur-
pose has been to show to hungry ne
Iphewa and nieces the light esteem II
(which they were held, and that ra-
Their than these relatives should nave
1.-The money the devisors could literally
Throw it to the dogs and cats.
| .One of the most singular Wills or
lreeera was a testament of 1918, one
hundred years ago, made by E.izabetf
IOrby Hunter, of London, widow.
do give and bequeath to my beloved
lparrot. the faithful companion o.
TWENTY-FIVE years. an annuity for It's
life ef 200 guineas year Si,ooo
weary to be paid half yearly as Ions
las his beloved parrot lives. TO Who
Iever may have the care of 1t ahc
ipraves its identity. but the above an
Inuitv es cease on the death of my
patrot. And if the person Who shal
NOV, have care of il should substi'
Itute any other parrot in its place. Ell
Their during its life or after IT'S oea.,
In is nv positive will and desire ina
1.-THE person or persons SO doiis siia
refund to my heirs or executors 'i''
sum or sums they may nave reeeiNse
from the time they did so. Anu w
oira and bequeath to Mrs. Mary Dyer
widow. now dwelling in PARK stree.
Westminster, my foresaid parrot WIZ
Its annuity of 200 guineas a year u
he paid her half yearly as long as :
,;,as And I give to Mrs. Mary Ivy
ar the newer to will and beaueath HiA
narrot and it's annuity to whomsoeNe'
a,o n,eases provided that person
no;tber a servant or man-t mus
- ta.,,oathed to some respectable lie
,,,o II is also my will and desire ina
Wv carrot shall not be removed GU
- rnyland owe nothing to any one
Ma,,, ove me both gratitude ana mon
ey hut none have paid me either.
..For one. I am not disposed to auee
t;o,, tho sanity of this will. Inc las
sentence gives substantial Reason =,
10, benefaction to the beloved pari''
,,anv owed me gratitude ana iliohes
mn none have paid me either. Ihahh
loo friends and relatives she hau
,iantv no doubt, and perhaps the WI
L., Eliaheth Orby Hunter knew nov
at,arner than a serpents tooth 1t =
nn,o q thankless child. But ti'
n9rrot was a sympathetic conip'" .,,'
inat never deceived her, ana una. Wv
bird was thus handsomely re''ie s.a aas
, VIC IN full accordance with IT'S 'ee
, erts. -. short Par
This narrative is all too shor'' a a.
rots are long lived, often Whe'i poJ =,
~ cared for it is said, hVihs ~ - y
fnu centenarians. This bird propao',
lived far into this century, hiay 49, ~.
have exceeded the usual parto'is NO
ljrit of longevity. and may now pe 81,
ioving ripe and mellow old age WIZ
the descendants and heirs OIL Mis
Mary Dyer, in Park street, Wes'h''ii