The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1865-03-22

Ills sole pleasure was to visit, once a
day. little farm which he possessed few
M'les ont of town, where he was wont to
take Oft his coat. roll up his shirt sleeves,
and personally labor in the field and in the
barn, hoeing corn, pruning trees, tossing
hay. and not disdaining even TO assist in
butchefing the animals which he raised
for market. 1t was no mere ornamental
or experimental farm. He made it pay.
All OF its produce was carefully. nay scru-
pulously, husbanded, sold, recorded and
accounted for. He loved his grapes, his
plums, his pigs. and especially his rare
breed Of canary birds; but the people Of
Philadelphia had the full benefit Of their
increase--at the highest market rates.
Many feared, and many served, but none
lesed this singular and lonely old man. If
there was, among the very few who habtu-
ally conversed with him, one who UNDER
stood and esteemed him, there was but
une. and he was man of such abounding
charity that. like Uncle Toby, if he had
heard thai the Devil was hopelessly damn
ed. would have said, am sorry for it.
Never was there q person more destitute
than Glrsri Of the qualities which win the
affections Of others. His temper was yio-
leni. his presence farbidding, his usual
manner ungracious, his will inHexible, his
heart unlender. his imagination dead. He
was odious To many Of his fellow citizens,
who considered him the hardest and mean
est OF men. lie had lived among them for
halt century, but he was no more Phil
adelphian in 1880 than he was in l776
He still spoke with . French accent, and
accompanied his wsrds with French
shrug and French ge.t.culation. Surround.
ed with Christian churches. which he had
helped 70 build, he retained . sturdy IN.
believer, and possessed the csmplete works
ofoniy one mau--vsltaire.
He m.de il point Of duty to labor on
Sunday, as good example to others. II,
made no secret Of the fact that he consid
cred the idleness Of Sunday an injury I,
the people, moral and economical. III,
would have opened his bank on Sunday il
any one wuuld have come to It. For hi,
part. he required no rest, and would have
none. lie never travelled. He never at
tended public assemblies or amusements
lie hsd no affections 60 crafty, no friend.
~ visit. no curiosity to appeasr, no tastes
10 indulge. What he once said OF himself
appeared To be true-that he rose in the
mnrnlng with but single object. and thai
was to labor 81 hard all day as 20 be able Il
sleep all night. The world was absolutely y
nothing to him but working place. lie
\ nail Sal. fh. ,aaa III. ..iI
should cease to labor, ard should spend the
evening Of their days In tranquility. No,
he would say, labor is the price Of life
IT'S happiness. its everything 10 rest is 10
rust; every nan should labor TO the last
hour nf his ability. Such was Stephen
Girard.
This is an unpleasing picture Of a cit
iven ol polite sn,l amiable Philadelphia. |,
we're indeed grim and dreary world
wherein should prevail the principles oil
Girstd. But see what this man has done
for the city tina, losed him not Vast and
imposing structures rise on The banks OF the
SchuylkIIl, wherein, at this hour, six hun
dred orphan buys are led. clothed, trained
and taught. upon the income vf the enur-
nous estate which lie won BY this entire
consecratiun to the work Of accumulating
property. la the ample grounds Of Girard
College. looking up its FIVE massive mar
bic eaifces, sirolllng in its shady walks or
by its serdant play grounds. or listening TO
the cheerful cries Of the boys at play, ths
mos. sympathetic and imaginative Of men
must pause before censuring the sterile and
unlovely life Of its fosnder. And if he
should Inquire closely into the character
and career of the man Who willed this
great institution into being. he would, per.
haps, be willing ts admit that there was
room in the world for one Girsrd, though
1t were q pity there shssld evei be an.
Other."