Homesteads are exempt from seizure. They consist of not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres of land, buildings, and appurtenances, whether rural or urban, bona fidely occupied by the head of a family, or persons dependent upon him or her for support, and exist without registration. The homestead also includes certain farm implements and animals, together with a certain quantity of fodder, corn, etc. Homestead cannot exceed two thousand dollars in value. If so, the beneficiary shall be entitled to that amount only in case of a sale of the homestead under legal process. No husband shall have the benefit of a homestead whose wife owns or is in actual possession of property to the amount of two thousand dollars. The benefit of this exemption may be claimed by the surviving spouse or minor children of a deceased beneficiary. Laborer's wages, the clothes belonging to the debtor or his wife, his bed, the beds of his family, his arms and military accoutrements, the tools and instruments necessary for the exercise of the trade or profession by which he gains a living, the rights of personal servitude, use, and habitation, the usufruct to the estate of a minor child, the income of dotal property, the books and sewing-machine necessary for the exercise of one's calling, trade, or profession by which the owner makes a living, the salary of an officer, cooking-stove and utensils, plates, forks, etc., dining-table, chairs, wash-tubs, smoothing-irons and ironing furnaces, family portraits and musical instruments played on by any member of the family, are exempt from seizure. Whenever the widow or minor children of a deceased person are left in necessitous circumstances, they shall be entitled to demand and receive from the succession of their deceased husband or father a sum, which, added to the amount of property owned by them or either of them in their own right, will make up the sum of one thousand dollars, which shall be paid in preference to all other debts, except vendor's privilege and expenses incurred in selling the property. MAINE.