"Mr Meeson's Will" Once

Manawatu Herald, 20 July 1893, Page 2

" Mr Meeson's Will" Once

Eider Haggard's story- of >( Mr Meeson's Will " will be'rtriiembored as having been thoaj|^fa|lferahed from the statement tba^3Wß|||fMwaa tatooed on back, of aCyoi&gflady. Mr Meeson, Augusta and" otherg of the party were wrecked on Eerpelen island and whilst there MrifMeeson repented of having disinherited" his nephew. Augusta sugie|ted- his making a new will when the dpoulty of obtaining materials n presented themselves. At > last the ingenious Augusta suggested that it cduld be tatooed on the back of- a, sailor, but, when she approached that old salt with the proposal he is said to* have declared M that hfe w»ul<r sfteeCffir Meeson collectively,* afad Mr<M«efl6rr's various members separately, especially his eyes, somewhere first." Then Mr Meeson's-. own* JKfts suggested, then a cfciMC ftu UP <S&t Augusta submitted her own. The will was arranged in. these words " I leave all my property^to Eustace H. Meeson," and Bill poised his fishbone, and, next :Beeond, Augusta gave a, start and a little shriek, for the operation had begpn. " Never mind Miss," said Bill, consolingly;" you'll soof' get used to A it." After that Augffst'a set her teeth and endured in sjlwo^though it really hart % * or Bill was very careful of the artistio effeot and : the perraanenoe of the work than "of the feelings of the subjeot. According to the tale it took five hours to tattoo these few wordg tad the names of the witness**, as<|

at the end Augusta staggered into the hut, threw herself down upon the sail, and went off into a dead faint. All the above is the pure invention of a famous novelist, but the following is a fact and occurred in Mexico : — One Moneck, miser, had his will tatooed upon his chest. When he died, his relatives opposed his- Burial untill they, could legally prove his testamentary declaration. Law Courts being moved, promptly decreed that the remarkable "human" document" should be copied and the representation duly attested in the presence of witnesses. This was done, and the court, untrammelled by precedent, pronounced the will genuine. The man was duly buried, and his heirs joyously - succeeded to the miser's estate. If this fact is not more wonderful than imagination, it is equally so. It is to be^hpped it will not become too much of aoustom. v :