St. Mary's beacon., 1858-08-12

/ progressed 10 far as % be able tO uukciise a
ten yesirs' lease, with renewal, nf 4 range of
Osilk aud frame stores one of which he occu-
pied hlnaself Tie rents wcfe low at the time,
and the purchase very advantageous perhaps
the turning point in his f.Etunes
In seventeen hundred and eighty his wife.
Mary GirarI, ftjsaa whom lls had been diyor-
cesl, was admitted 81 insane apss;sus lUs8 the
/ Eeslnsys Anlalf H0spitaia Here she remairl-
ed shut up twenty-five years and one month,
while her husband was busily pufst!:ng his
one object in the would; 1T last she dietl in the
year iZhtecn hundred aud fifteen. On being
told of her DEATH Stephen Girard selected her
Lural-place. and requested th at he Shorld be
called as soon as al the arrangements for her
funeral were chnpleted. She was buried in
the manner Uf the Friends. Her husband was
there, glaring with his one fearless eye, and
unmoved. After taking one short look at the
remains, he departed, saying, "All Is WELL"
lie returned holne, and began TO give largely
u the local ehAriIi,s and hospitals from this
day.
y circumstance occurred at this perind which
materially aided Stephen Girard in his cher
ishcd determination. He was engaged in the
West India tratle-particulArly in the island of
Saint psiHling'--and at the moment of the
weli-knowu outbreak Of the slaves he had two
/ vessels lying oft the port. The affrightei
! planters rushed to tie d.rks, aiid deposited
their most valuable treasures in those ships for
safety, returning to secure more Thry were
nearly all with their families, massacrcd. Ste
! phen Girard advertised liberIiy for the owners
to the property, but very few claimants ever
/ appeared, and it was transported 10 Piiilade-
phia to swell the St.rc aud increase the paw
er Of the one eyed capitalist, who c,,mmenccd
the building of th'Ne large ships engaged i'll
the trade with China and Calcutta, which
were, ut that time, the pride of America.
In seventeen hundred and ninety-three
fearful pestilence broke OFT in the city Of Phil
adclphia. The yellow fever left whole streets
tcnantless; the hearse was the vehicle most
frequently seen in the Streets those who Wore
the ba.lse of mOrDing un their arms were
avoided even by their friends; aud the fumes
I tobacco and camphor filled every house in
the city. While the pestilence was at its
/ height square, rcpmlSivc man boldly entered
one of the most crowded hospitals, aud bore
u''t ia his arms victim in the last, S.rror-
coIored stage Of the disease For days ard
weeks this man cnntinncd to pcrf.rm the same
terrible Ylfce of attending npun th0-si "td
dying, disearglng the most painful ami rtaii-
gerous duties Of the lowest servant in the
place. This repu!sve-loking Samaritan was
Stephen Girard, with his strong will. bodily
energy, his stout heart and his one eve. The
hard gripping trailer was not SD selfish, after ALL
When oil the pail attendants al the visitors Of
the poor, were eitlier dead, dying, or had fle,l;
when no offer Of money would purchase that
labor wrich was required Cor the reur ganiza-
ton Of the pest-houSe hospital at Bush Hill,
two mcn nobly volunteered for the forlorn task
Stephen GirGrd and Peter Helm: On the al
tcrnoon Of the some day on which he offered
4 (.
growing wealth and influence foreigner,
, With No ties Of country between him and the
afflicted city-entered upon his dangerous task
with all the perseverance, and decision of his
character. Tie soon established order and
cleanliness; provided accommodations aud pro-
cured supplies; and for sixty days continued
to discharge E,s duties at the hospital
In eighteen hundred and twelve, Stephen
Girard: the onc-eyed caLin-boy Of Bordeaux,
, Purchased the bsnking premises G the old
Bauk OF the United States Whose charter was
not reEewcdl and started the Girard Bank-a
. large private establishment, which not only
!: cOnterred advantages upon the community
greater than the State institution upor which
it was founded, but while the public credit
was sla. ken, anu the Government Finances
were exhausted by war, the Girard Bank could
Command large subscriptions of loans. and put
itself i'll the position uf the principal creditor
of the country. In eighteen hundred and
fourteen Girard subscribed the whole Of a large
} Government loan frnm patriotic motives; and
ii eighteen hundred aud seventeen he con-
tributed, by his unshaken credit and undin,in-
Ishesi funds, to bring about the resumption of
specie payments. In eighteen hundred and
thlrty=one hIs operations were So extensive.
that when the country WAS placed in extreme
ksD1 1har fra ,e
reason Of the balance Of trade being against il
he was enabled, by single transaction with
az eminent English firm, 10 turn the exchan-
ges, and cause specie to fOw into tie United
: States
Shcphen Girard began his remarkable trad
ing career with one object, which he steadily
kept in view all his long iifc-the ftfaking OF
money FOR the power i: conferred. He was
content. at starting, with the small pr,,tits Of
the retail trader, willing to lahr in any capa-
city to make those profits secure. He practic-
ci tue most rigid persona. ecun,Eny; he resisted
all the aliurements of pleasure; he exacted the
last farth!fg Chat was due Ia him; and he paid
the last fartIfing that he owed. He took every
advantage which the law allowed him in re-
sisting claim; he used men just 81 far as they
would accomplish his purpose; he paid his
servants no more than the market prics; when
| a faithful cashier died he exhibited the utmost
indifference, making no provision fcE his fami-
~. aud uttering no sentiment Of regret for his
loss. He would higgle for q penny with a
huekster in the streets; he would deny the
watchfnatr at his bank the customary Christmas
pfesealtOf great cat To add to his singular and
de6cient character, he was deaf in one Ear, could
usrly spCak bruske6 Esglish, never conversed
6psn any thing hat business, and wore fhe
same old cost cut in the French style. fr fve
years together. An old, rfckeEt ehsir, rernar-
kabfe fnF It's age, and marked with the Initials
'S. g, drawn by faded horse. was used
whom he rode abOGt the city. lie had no sense
Of hospitality. No friend 70 share his hUnse or
his table. He was dsserential, IN appearance.
% rask and Family. Viulant ami pasSJnate
l-p7lE % one man1 ar ola and kaiEiful ciesk
neEaa RpbFgk His thepEaicsi opinions