Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-04-08
stephen Girard.

Within the memory Of many persons still
alive, old GIrard " us the famous banker
was usually styled, short, stout, brisk old
gentlemen, used 10 walk in his swift awk
wa'd way, the streets of the lower part Of
Pnlludelphia. Though everything about
hun indicated that be bad very little in com
non with bis fellow citizens, he was the
marked mau Of his city for more than u
generation. His aspect vas rather insig-
uifcant and qui'e uuprepossessing His
dress was old fashioned aud shabby aud
he wore the pig tail. The white neck k,cloth,
the wide brimmed hat, and The large skirt
ed coat of the last century. He was blind
IN one eye aud though his bnrey eyebrows
gave sumo character 10 his couutenance, it
VAS curiously devoid of expires ion. lie
had also The absent look of an who
either had no Thoughts or was absorbed 10
thought and be SHIT filed along on his enOr.
NOUS lee looking ueIt her 10 the right uor
10 the lett. There was alwuysa certain
look Of the old mariner about hun, though
he hud been hliy years All iuhabitant of The
Town. When he rode il was in he plane,l,
least comfortable gig in PtiladeIphia, drawn
10y nh ancient aud III formed horse driven
always by the masters own hand at a good
pace. He chose still 10 live where he had
lived for fifty y-ers, in Water Street, close
10 lbe wbarves, in small aud iuconveueut
house, darkened by tall store houses, amid
the buslle, The noise aud the odors of com
ineice. .
His sole pleaeure was to visit every day
u little farm which he possessed few miles
out Of town, where he Was won't to take off
his coat, roll up his shirt sleeves, and per
soually labor III the field aud in the barn,
hoeibg corn, pruning trees. tossing hay, and
not dlsdaiuIug even 10 assist in butcheriDg
The animals wbich be raised for market. =
Ii was 10 mere ornamental or experiment
al farm. lie made it-pav. All Of its pro
duce was carefully, nay scrupulonsly hus
banded, sold, recorded, aud accounted for.
he loved his grapes, his phms, bis pigs,
and especially his rare breed Of csuary
birds but the people OF Philadelphia had
The full benefit OF their inerease--at the
highest market rates. Many feared, many
served, but none loved this singular aud
Ioueiy old mau. If the e was among the
very lew who habi,ually conversed with him,
thc'c was bat one Z, aud he was m1n ol
such aboundiug charity; that, like Uucle
iohy. II be had heard Tint the Devil was
hopelessly damued. would have said, Il am
sorry Tor H." Never was there u person
more destitute than Girard of the qualities
which win The afvc lou of Others. His
temper was violent, bis presence foi bidding,
bis usual manuer ungraci0uS, his will uaex-
l6le, his heait untender, his imma ginat lou
dead He was odiOus to many of his fel.
low citizens, who considered him the hard.
est aud meanesL Of men He had lived
among them for half ecu MY, but be was
no more Philadelphian 1880 than in
l776, He sill spoke with French accent
aud accompanied his words wtS French
shrug aud French gesliculallon. Surround
ed Win Cnristian churches which he helped
20 build be rema!ued sturdy unbelever,
aud possessed the complete works of ouly
Que man, Vultaue.
He made il point Of duty to labor on
Sunday, rs an example To others He
made no secret OF he fact that he consli
e. ed The idenesS of Sunday an injry 10 the
people. morul aud economlcil. He would
nave opened his bank on Sundays, it any
one would have come to It. For his parl
he required no rest aud would have none.
lie never treveled. He never attended
public assemblies or amusemenIs. lie had
no affections TO gra ify, no iieuds 10 visit,
no curiosity 10 sppease. no tastes 10 indulge.
WHAT he once suld of himself appeared TO
Oe true, that he rose in The morning with
but single object, aud that was 10 labor
So bard ali day MS 10 he able 10 sleep al
night, The world was absolutely nothing
lo him bu. working place. lie scorned
aud scouied The idea that old men should
sp' nd The evening Of their d'ys IN tranquil.
ny. NJ" he would say. labor is the
price of life. its happiness. its everything |;
" rest is 10 rust every man shosld labor
TO the last hour ot his ability" Such was
5 epheH CHAD, the richest man who ever
nved III Penusy ylvania
This is an uupleasIDg picture OF citizen
of polite and amiabie Phladelphia. IL
we're indeed grim and dreary world.
whereln should prevail the principles of
Girard. Bat see what this man has done
ior the city that loved him not Vast
aud imposing structures rise on The banks
ot The ScEuyikll. wael elm, al this hour,
six hund ed poor orphan boys are fed, cloth
ed, trslued md Taught. upon the ,ncom Of
he enormous esIa'e which be won by this
entire consrcraton 10 tue work Of secaou.
isling properly 10 the ample grounds Of