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Show SOLDIERS' TRENCH ULSSHlffl Some Samples of Tommy Atkins's Work" When He Thinks Time Has Come. LONDON, Sept. 15 (By mail.) The "last will and testament" which the British Brit-ish private frequently writes into the little lit-tle army "paybook," which he carries with him wherever he goes, is an inter- esting study. Wills made in the trenches are legal without witnesses and the boI-dier's boI-dier's own signature is all that is required to make such a will acceptable to the courts. Even if the signature is lacking, the will still may be accepted if there is evidence as to the handwriting or intention inten-tion of the testator. In every case the war office authorities make every effort to carry out the soldier's wishes, however crudely they are expressed or however fantastic they mav be. Many of these trench wills have Tommy Tom-my Atkins's charaeteristc touch of humor. hu-mor. Some are dialect, some in phonetic spelling. Several have been in cipher, which have taxed the war office experts to solve. Occasionally they leave purely imaginary imagi-nary possessions to institutions or fie- , titious persons. Here is a will in rhyme ' which was written while the soldier was on duty at a "listening post" 1 in No IMan's Land: "I haven't a sweetheart, I haven't a mother; I've only one sister, not even a brother. lv sister Susan is all I've got, So of aupht that's mine she can have the lot." This will went through the courts without with-out question, despite its unusual form. Another will in rhyme, leaving the money to the "first comer," is the.' following: "Who ever first sets eyes on this Gets everything t leave. For my kith and kin are dead and gone, And I've not a friend to grieve. There's a tidy bit in the bank you'll flncli and my army pay, though small, 5 So stranger, breathe one sigh for me, You're welcome to it all." This will was forwarded to England by the young sergeant who found it and ha shortly afterward received notification that the "tidy bit," which turned out to be a substantial sum of money, had been deposited to his account. Still another will in rhyme was written by k private who had been cut off from his comrades for three days, without food or water, and probably without sleep lor the greater part of that time, until the, greatest desire in life seemed to him to get a big drink. H was as follows: "If I'm knocked out by bullet or bomb When over the top we go, A gallon of beer I leave to Tom, Another to Squint-lOyed Joe. We've borne the worst of a soldier's thirst .Through day ;md nights of woe: (jive my dad the rest but if I go west There's a drink for Tom and Joe." There was some difficulty In carrying out this bequest, owing to the fact that half the men in tin- company claimed to h;:ve been called Tom and Joe by the testator and the whole estate was finally turned over to the father, It being lot t to him to carry out the "two gallons clause" as lie should see' fit. |