ODDITIES OF WILLS

Otago Witness, Issue 1731, 24 January 1885, Page 26

ODDITIES OF WILLS

Among the curious wills and bequeste that deserve mention is that of a French merchant, who, in 1610, left a large legacy to the lady who had jilted him, in order to express his gratitude to her for her forbearance, and his admiration for her sagacity in leaving him to a happy bachelor llffe. Jasper Mayne, who died in 1620, left to a bibulous servant an old port - manteau which, he wrote, the legatee would value when he found that it contained something "which would enablp him to drink." The " something " proved to be a red herring, A Scotch gentleman, having two young daughters, bequeathed to each her weight, not in gorel, but in £1 bank nojtes. The elder seems to havo been dimmer tfian her sister, for she only erot £53,200, while tho younger received £57,744. An annuity of £50 was bequeathed to the bellsngers of Bath Abbey by LieutenantColonel Nash, "provided they should muftia the clappers of the bells of the said abbey and ring them with doleful accentuation from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on each anniversary of his wedding-day, and during the same number of houifik, only with a merry peal, on the anniversary at the day whpch released him from do,meatic tyranny ana wretchedness." Bequests of bodies for anatomical purposes, dr of skulls as curiositiss or relics, have been sufficiently numerous ; but unquestionably the most curious will of this sort wag that made by Mr S. Sanborn in 1871, when the testator left hi 3 rernaius for diaae.ction, and provided that tha flesh stripped from his bones sho,uld be used to fertilise an American elm, and his skin ba converted into two drumheads, inscribed with the Declaration of Independence and Pope's Universal Prayer, on which " Yankee Doodle" should be played at Bunker Hill annually on tho 17th of Juno.

A testator cannot, it needs scarcely be said, be too careful in drawing up a will. "My black and white horses " do not bear the same moaning as " my black and my white horses." A near friend of Victor Cousin, the philosopher, lost a lauge legacy through a trifling accident and delay. Cousin intended to include his name in his will, but there was no stamped paper in the house, and he told his servant to obtain some. The servant said he would — tomorrow— and on the morrow Cousin died at dfnner, just as », West of England millionaire waa choked at bimWast with a fishbone, with the unaignod will which would have altered the disposition of his vast estate lying on the tabfe. People should imitate the example of Lord Eldon, who, when a very rich piece of patronage came into his gift, having received the news while riding with the relative upon whom he. intended to bestow it, wrote out the appodnW ment while sitting in his Baddle, j^st he should be thrown from his horse before he got home. An ofEcor in the Indian army, who had not muoh to leave, but was on friendly toons with two of his brother officers, made a will, leaving his property, consisting merely of personal belongings, to be divided between them. The testator came unexpectedly into a very large fortune, but ho forgot all about his will and never ma^de another. When he died the will made under such enfierent circumstances held good, and his aged mother, sisters, and n,e&y relations were left out in. the cold. Of bequests to animals a few cflay be men tioned. In 1,781 a peasant of Toulouse made his horse his universal ham Di Cristiano, of Venice, left 6000 florins for the maintenance of his three dogs, with a condition that at their death the sum should be added to tjho University of Vienna. A Mrs Elizabeth Hunter, in 1813, left lOOOdols. a year to her parrot, and the Count of Mirandela bequeathed a considerable legacy to a pet carp. Lord Chesterfield left a aajm for the support of his favourite ea,t, so s>leo did oee Frederick Harper, who settled 50Pdols. a year on his " yoting black cat,"' tha interest to bo paid to his. housekeeper, Mr& Hodges, an long as the cat should remain, alive. Tho mo^t singular of these wills* however, wap lhat of Mr Berkeley, of KjnighhSbridge, who died in 1805, He left £25. to four of hiß dogs. During a journey through France and Italy this gentleman, being attacked by brigands, had been protected and saved by bis dog ; the four animals he pensioned by his will were the descendants of this faitfffni frfend. Feeling his end near Mr Berkeley desired that two armchairs might be brought to his bedside and his four dogs sealed on them, received their last caresses, which, he returned with the best of his failing strength, and died in their paws. By an article in his will he ordered that the busts of his four dogs should be carved in atone and placed at the four corneas of his tomb. — Irhiladelphia Record.