Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 05.pdf/334

 Perturbed Shades.

303

PERTURBED SHADES. BY FRANCIS DANA. SCENE, The Probate Court.

Enter, THREE SHADES, invisible.

ist SHADE (Intestate) sings, pensera.

T T AD I not been too ill to attend to my will I 'd have disinherited Jim; And now they swear he 's my lawful heir, And they Ve given it all to him. 2// SHADE (who has drawn his own will, in the light of " The Pocket Counsellor-at-law or, Every Man his own Attorney ") sings, allegretto.

Oh, never die till you 've made, as I, Your will and your testament, Or your administrator 'll cut up your estate According to laws of descent.

(Judges and registers of Probate defend us!) Oh, hang that judge — what's that? Oh, FUDGE!1 Can't he read, I 'd like to know? Has a man no say, in regard to the way His property's going to go? THE COURT, audibly.

The rule in Shelley's Case applies, and Bertrand takes in fee, the word heirs giving a hereditary construction to the whole. 2d SHADE.

My will I took from a printed book, Verbatim. Could / divine That that blamed old fool would apply the rule In Shelley's Case to mine? 1 The Shade doubtless subjected his desire to use a stronger term to the necessities of the rhyme. — ED.