Curiosities Of The Search Room.*

To his five sisters he left the following bequests : " To my eldest sister Joan , my five-acre field , to console her for being married to a man she is obliged to henpeck . " To my second sister SaUy , the cottage that stands beyond the said field with its garden , because as no one is likely to marry her it ivill be large enough to lodge her . " To my third sister Kate , the family Bible , recommending her to learn as much of its spirit as she already knows of its letter , that she may become a better Christian .

" To my fourth sister Mary , my grandmother ' s silver snuffbox , that she may not be ashamed to take snuff before company . " To my fifth sister , my silver drinking-cup , for reasons known to herself . " To my brother Ben , my books , that he may learn to read with them . " To my brother James , my big silver Avatch , that he may know the hour at which men ought to rise from their beds . " To my brother-in-laAv Jack , a punch-bOAA'l because lie A \ 'ill do credit to it . " To my brother-in-law Christophermy best pipeout of gratitude that he married my

, , sister Maggie AA-hom no man of taste would have taken . " To my friend John Caddell , a silver teapot , that , being afflicted with a slatternly Avife , he may therefrom drink tea to his comfort . " While " old John ' s" eldest son Avas made legatee of a silver tankard , Avhich the testator objected to leave to old John himself , least he should commit the sacrilege of melting it doAA-n to make temperance medals .

The following can hardly be called a vindictive will : — WILL OF MAJOR HOOK . A country newspaper some years ago recorded the death of a Major Hook , qualified as " , a singular character . " " He died , " says the report , " on Monday se ' night , at his house , Ham Street , Ham Common . He was an officer in the Bast India Company ' s service , and reached the age of seventy-five . His house was remarkable for its dingy and dilapidated

condition . " His wife had become entitled to a life annuity , bequeathed to her in these ambiguous terms : " And the same shall be paid to her as long as she is above ground . " When , therefore , the good lady died , her husband very naturally objected to forfeit this income by putting her below ground , and ingeniously devised a mode of keeping her in a room Avhich he allotted " to her sole and separate use , " placing- a glass-case over her remains . For thirty years he thus prolonged his enjoyment , if not of his wife ' s society , at least of her income .

And Messrs . Parnell , Callan , and Biggar would equally deny the vindictiveness of the following : — SINGULAR VENGEANCE . A English gentleman , who had from his earliest years been educated in the most violent prejudices against the Irish , came , when advanced in life , to inherit a considerable property in the county of Tipperary , but under the express condition that he should reside on the land . To this decree he very reluctantly conformed , but his feelings towards the natives

only greAV more bitter in consequence . At his death some years after , on the 17 th March , 1791 , his executors were extremely surprised on opening his AA * ill to find the following dispositions ; " I give ancl bequeath the annual sum of ten pounds to be paid in perpetuity out of my estate , to the folloAving purpose . It is my AAall and pleasure that this sum shall be spent in the purchase of a certain quantity of the liquor vulgarly called Avhisky , and it shall be publicly given out that a certain number of persons , Irish only , not to exceed twenty , Avho may choose to assemble in the cemetery in Avhich I shall be interredon the anniversary of ray

, death , shall have the same distributed to them . Further , it is my desire that each shall receive it by half-a-pint at atime till the Avhole is consumed , each being likeAvise provided with a stout oaken stick and a knife , and that they shall drink it all on the spot . Knowing what I know of the Irish character , my conviction is , that with these materials given , they will not fail to destroy each other , and when in the course of time the race comes to be exterminated , this neighbouroood at least may , perhaps , be colonized by civilized and respectable Englishmen . "

We conclude with this one—SOMEWHAT SEVERE . From the Avill of a Scotchman lately deceased ( says the Pictorial World , January 6 th , 1877 , ) Ave extract the following significant item : "I bequeath my two worst watches to my son , because I know he is sure to dissect them . "