Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1940-01-11
AUTHOR OF "a LAST WILL"
DIES AT AGE OF 81

Williston Fish, author of the ia
nous document, "a Last Will,
died at his home at Western
| Springs, Ill, Dec. 20, at the age O.
| 81. Published in Harper's Weekly
IN 1898, "a Last WHIP has been re
printed many times and Mr.. Fish
received hundreds of letters abou1
It, He was a contributor of prose
and verse to many periodicals fol
more than SO years, but "a Last
VIII was his best-known piece
better known, in fact, than it's au-
thorship, and legends grew I'D about
how the will set forth in it had come
to be written. Actually, the will
was imaginary 1t purported to be
the testament of Charles Louns-
bury, name Mr.. Fish took from
one of his ancestors. Mr.. Louns-
bury was a strong, vigorous man,
filled with the joy of living and Mr..
Fish stated he used his name to
perpetuate his memory.
Mr.. Fish was born in Berlin
Heights, o., Jan. Is, 1858. He was
graduated from West Point in 1881
served in the army until 1887 and
was connected with street railway
companies, chiefly in Chicago, from
1890 to 1923.
Mr.. Fish for six years was vice
president of the West Penn rail
ways and later was general man
ager of the Chicago Surface Lines
One of his brothers, John C. L. Fish
is president emeritus of Leland
Stanford university
The complete text of this piece
which has become a newspaper
classic, follows
A Last VIII
l. Charles Lounsbury, being Of
sound and disposing mind and mem
ory, do hereby make and publish
this my last will and testament, in
order, as justly as may be, to dis
tribute my interest in the world
among succeeding men.
That part of my interest which is
known as law and recognized in the
sheep-bound volumes as my prop
erty, being inconsidera BILE and of no
account, l make no disposition of in
this my last will. My right to live,
being but life estate, is not at my
disposal, but these things excepted.
to devise and bequeath.
Item: l 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 l
charge said parents to use them
justly, but generously, as the needs
of their children shall require
Item: | leave to children eXclu-
sively. but only for the term of their
childhood, all and every, the flow
ers Of the field and the 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 | devise to chill
dren the banks of the books and the
golden sands beneath the waters
thereof, and the odors of the will
lows that dip therein, and the white
clouds that float high over the giant
trees.
And I leave the children the long
long days to be merry in in a thou |
sand ways, and the nights 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 |
snow-clad hills where one may
coast, and all streams and ponds |
where one may fish, or where, when |
grim winter comes, one may skate, |
to hold the same for the period of |
their boyhood. And all meadows
with the clover blossoms and but
Lert1ies thereof; and echoes and |
strange noises, and all distant plac-j
IS which may be visited. together
With the adventures there found i
And | give to said boys each his
own place at the fireside at night,
with all pictures that may be seen
n the burning wood, to enjoy with
,ut, let or hindrance and without
my incum brance of care.
Item: To lovers, I devise their
world, with whatever
hey may need, as the stars of the
ky, 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
ZACH other the lastingness and beau
y of their love.
Item: To young men Jointly, I be-
lueath and devise all boisterous, in
piring sports and rivalry and II
rive to them the disdain of weak
less, and undaunted confidence in
heir own strength. Though theyl
re rude, leave to them the pow
II to make lasting friendships and|
# possessing companions, and tol