The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-06-15
"A Last Will"


Justice Walter Lloyd Smith, who
presides over the third department of
the Appellate Division of the Supreme
Court, brought with him to the recent
dinner of the New York University
Law School Alumni Association what
he said was the most remarkable docu
ment that ever came into his posses.
sion. Others who read the doc ument,
the last will and testament of Charles
Lounsbury, who died in the Cook coun-
ty Asylum at Dunning, Illinois, were
disposed to agree with him. Here it
| is:
IN THE NAME OF GOD. AMEN.
l, Charles Lounsbury, being of sound
and disposing mind and memory the
| fingered on the word memory, do now
make and publish this my last Will and
Testament, in order, as justly as | may,
to distribute my interests in the world
among succeeding men.
| And first, that part of my business
/ which is known in the law and recog-
nized in the sheep bound volumes as
my property, being inconsiderable and
of none account, make no account
of it in this my will.
| My right to live, it being but life
estate, is not at my disposal but, these
things excepted ,all else in the world |
now proceed to devise and bequeath:
Item. And first, l give to good
fathers and mothers, but in trust for
their children, nevertheless. all good
little words of praise and all quaint pet
names, and l charge said parents to
use them justly but generously as the
needs of their children shall require.
ltem.-I leavest to children exclusive
ly. but only for the life of their child
hood, all and every, the dandelions of
the fields and the daisies thereof, with
the right to play among them freely,
according to the custom of children,
warning them at the same time against
the thistles. And | devise to child
ren the yellow shores of creeks and the
golden sands beneath the waters there
of, with the dragon flies that skim the
surface of said waters, and the odors
of the willows that dip into said
waters, and the white clouds that float
high over the giant trees.
And leave to children the long, long
days to be merry in, in 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;
and l give to each child the right to
choose star that shall be his. and l
direct that the ehild's father shall tell
him the name of it, in order that the
child shall always remember the name
of that star after he has learned and
: forgotten astronomy.
Item.--I devise to boys jointly all
the useful idle fields and commons
where ball may be played, and all snow
clad hills where one may coast. and all
J streams and ponds where one may
; skate, to have and to hold the same for
: the period of their boyhood And all
meadows, with the clover blooms and
: butterflies thereof; and all woods with
their appurtenances of squirrels and
whirring birds and echoes of strange
\ noises; and all distant places which
may be visited. together with the ad-
ventures there found, do give to said
boys to be theirs. And give to said
] boys each his own place at the fireside
at night, with all pictures that may
{ be seen in the burning wood or coal, to
= enjoy without let or hindrance and
without any incumbrance Of cares.
r Item. To lovers devise their i'm
agi1ary world, with whatever they
E may need, as the stars of the sky, the
, red, red roses by the wall, the snow
of the hawthorn, the sweet strains of
, music, or aught else they may desire
to figure to each other the lastingness
and beauty of their love.
Item.-To young men jointly, being
: joined in brave, mad crowd, devise
and bequeath all boisterous, inspiring
sports of rivalry. give them the dis
dain of weakness and undaunted con-
fidence in their own strength. Though
they are rude and rough. leave to
them alone the power of making last
ing friends and of possessing compan-
ions; and to them exclusively give all
merry songs and brave choruses to
sing. with smooth voices to troll them
forth.
Item. And to those who are no long
r er children or youths or lovers | leave
t Memory, and leave to them the vol.
I umes of the poems of Burns and Shakes
e peare, and of other poets, if there are
: others, to the end that they may live
the old days over again freely and fully,
, without tithe or diminution; and te
those who are no longer children OF
youths or lovers | leave, too, the know
ledge of what rare, rare world it is.