Since the devise or bequest to his wife became inoperative because of her death, we may say Coburn’s entire estate is disposed of in two paragraphs,—4 (a) which includes the main disposition, and 4 (b) which passes the residue. The controversy grows out of the provision in 4 (b) above printed in italics. The decision here, as it did in the trial court, turns on the question whether this limitation should be applied to the provisions and bequests in 4 (a), or be confined to 4 (b) in which it occurs; or, to be more specific, whether the expression "above named” shall be held to apply only to the persons named in the list immediately preceding, or be extended also to the persons named as beneficiaries in 4 (a). The court below took the latter view; but we are unable to adopt that construction.
The appellees, with perfect propriety, urge that the will must be construed contextually. That is another way of putting the “four corners” rule to which we all agree; Conrad v. Goss, 227 N. C., 470, 42 S. E. (2d), 609; Trust Co. v. Board of National Missions, 226 N. C., 546. 39 S. E. (2d), 621; Whitley v. Arenson, 219 N. C., 121, 12 S. E. (2d), 906; but we dare not become so hopelessly contextual that “'The forest takes from every tree, Its individuality.”
The courts are not required to explore the will in order to discover nonapparent contradictions where the intent of the testator may be found from the grammatical sense.
Passing for the moment technical but sound rules of construction peculiar to the law, we must apply the broad assumption that the testator has used the devices common to intelligent people and the language itself for the expression of thought and intention. The will is made up of words, phrases, clauses, sentences,—and paragraphs. We are concerned with the grammatical sense and, where they appear, the rhetorical pauses, breaks and divisions intended to keep the flow of thought in reasonable unity and relation.
The grammatical connection seems to be reasonably plain. A list of the names of those to whom residuary legacies are given immediately precedes the reference “above named” in the same construction. It would be presumed, nothing else appearing, that the reference is to the contiguous list. The testator saw fit to embody this list of names, along *225with the benefits to which they were entitled, in a separate paragraph. Webster defines “paragraph” as a “distinct section or subdivision of a discourse, chapter, or writing, whether of one or many sentences, that forms a rhetorical unit as dealing with a particular point of the subject.” It may be regarded as a cubicle in which the testator placed a part of the subject matter for more specific treatment, to establish the finer interrelations. In this particular instance there is no apparent reason for extending it beyond the limitations of the paragraph. In our opinion the two paragraphs set up distinct categories of names and benefits, self-inclusive, and neither in fact nor intention does the expression “above named” have the effect of merging the two. By logic and custom, if not of necessity, the names of those receiving the main bequests occupy a precedent position to the names receiving the residue.
The contention of the appellees is repugnant to the general testamentary scheme and would reverse it in medias res. It is hardly probable that the testator, after disposing of the main estate to those who were by selection the primary objects of his bounty, and most of them blood kin, would declass these persons and degrade the nature of the bequests so as to open the succession to all of the second class, containing mostly persons unrelated to him, for no reason at all, or at least for no apparent or discoverable reason.
The $10,000 legacy given to Burr E. Coburn in paragraph 4 (a) was not contingent.
We find nothing in the will repugnant to the construction we have given it. In our opinion the legacy bequeathed Burr E. Coburn in paragraph 4 (a) vested in him at the time of the death of the testator, J. E. Coburn, and we so hold. The plaintiff, A. T. Ward, as administrator of Burr E. Coburn, and his coplaintiffs, Mrs. Lena Coburn and Nina M. Sharpe, as sole successors in title to Burr E. Coburn, are entitled to recover and receive the same. Distribution will be made accordingly.
The judgment of the lower court is reversed; and this cause is remanded to the Superior Court of Swain County for judgment in accordance with this opinion.
Reversed and remanded.