The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-11-22
FROM NEWYORK.

n. p. WilIis.--SOme "Reminiscences
Concerning Hlm.--AIex. II. stewart,
1 the millionaire lGeEehant-Hfs Mig
gardly Beneneenee....A Methodist
Love Feast.
NEW YoRK, Nov. 10, 1865.
Until lately there frequently APP
peared on Nassau and Fulton streets, in
the vicinity of the printing ofhces, a
venerable man with gray locks and a
whitened beard under the chin. His
step was lettering and he walked
slowly, but one would always observe
about him a certain air of dandyism.
He always wore gloves and his clothes
were scrupulously in the fashion. 1t
was N. P. Willis, the poet, now up
wards of seventy years Of age. Forty
years ago he was, in common with
IRVING Paulding, Morris, Leggett and
others, one of the young men OF literary
promise In this city. New York did
not extend much beyond Canal street;
the Park theatre, opposite the City
Hall, was tho nightly rendezvous OF
the town wits. The fashionable part OF
broadway was at The corner of Cortland
street, and the fine gentlemen and ladies
made their afternoon promenades on
the battery. Willis, Geo. p. Morris and
Theodore s. Fay afterwards our min
| lister to Berlin) edited a lively literary
sheet, the Weekly Mirror. Willis was
in the height of his reputation as poet
then, and his partner Morris had just
| made himself famous with "WoOdman
Spare that Tree. Morris died about
two years ago, still partner with his
friend In the Home journal. Willis, it
is said, is now passing away. He has
but has been confined to his residence
on the Hudson, by his feeble health.
With the exception, perhaps, OF Mr..
Simns, of South Carolina, he is the last
representative of the second generation
of American authors.
STEWART, THE MILLIONAIRE.
The proposed benificence of A. T.
Stewart, in giving 81 100000 to be ex-
pended In erecting buildings for the
poor Of this city, has been noticed in
the JOURNALS OF the day. To the ma
jOrity, however, the real extent of the
"benificence" is not known. When the
real facts are made plain, it turns out
that 1t is not SO much of charity after
all. 1t is universally known how
enormous the income of Mr.. Stewart,
| resulting from a balance ofover $50, 600,
600 year, is. 1t is we'll known here
that he is man Of singular penurious-
HG65 anu CAOb6uSaa5 III ulOueH LuhlJSEbt
| therefore the announcement of his in.
tended donation took every one by sur
prise. 1t appears that n large number
of wealthy gentlemen of this city, who
had themselves given literally for char
liable purposes, asked Mr.. Stewart on
numerous occasions why he, with his
immense wealth, did not give to the
poor: at length he was fairly shamed
into his proposal, which was TO give the
above amount for the purpose OF build
ing cheap and comfortable houses for
the poor. At first his proposal was linn.
tied by Il great many conditions-prOVi-
ded the city would subscribe certain
amount, or if other public spirited gem
tlemen would contribute SO much real
estate. Commodore Vanderbilt at once
opened negotiations for the purchase of
st. Johns Park; but as that is portion
of the Trinity Church disputed proper
ty, they were not concluded, Now
Mr.. Stewart promises, 1t is said,
to construct number of dwell
ings, which are to be let Sat reason
able rates." to families in moder-
ate circumstances, the proceeds result
ing therefrom, after certain deductions
are made, to be applied to the purchase
Of more land and the erection OF more
dwellings. Now, where is the charity?
lie makes an investment of so much
money, the houses are to be nicely
butlt, and let to those who are in Sno
need of charity, and who, besides, pay
an ample rent; certain deductions, suf-
hcient to pay Mr.. Stewart a handsome
interest are made, and the balance APP
proprtated towards more buildings. He
retains possession of them the whole
time, and instead of being a charity it
is an enterprise which must result yery
fortunately for him. No charity can
be expected from a man whose oppres-
sion and stringency, even in the very
smallest matters, where money is con-
cerned, are so notorious.
A LOVE Feast.
Last Sunday evening, attended n
Glove Toast" at one of our Methodist
Churches-it being the closing service
of series which have been held COM
memorative of their centennial, In
and around the altar were seated a
number of veterans in the church mill
tant, almost Centenarians themselves:
one of them, a Methodist minister aged
81, another, layman 81 years of age,
and two others "whoSe locks were
silvered DER with age" and
were nearly so years old, After
the congregation had partaken of the
crackers and taken u sip of water, and
one or two good old hymns had been
sung, the Rev. Mr.. De Hass, former
pastor of the church, gave a brief recital
Va LIZ S2A oSE16uCeS spoke OF MS CONVEX
sion among the hills of Pennsylvania;
mentioned how at midnight he had
sought relief from the agony OF con-
science by repairing to a field and there
beneath an old tree which threw its
protecting arms above him, surrender
ing himself to his Maker; and turning
to the old veteran, he said: "When 1
lett that spot 1 carried with me little
piece of moss which grew there, and
tonight have 1t still, and shall retain
1t always as n memento of the tioY 1
received when first 1 believed, )" Alter
he had spoken, the old centenarians
who had listened to the Rrst Methodist
preacher who visited this country, re-
lated in clear and audible tones a littlo
of their history. Ono had been the
travelling companion of Bishop Asbury,
crossed from New York to BROOKLYN In
a little skin when there was hut one
little Methodist church In that city, then
In Sands street, that being the
extreme western boundary OF the city,
what is now Brooklyn being divided
into quiet and peaceful farms, where
the mar etmen gathered their early
peas and potatoes, and dairymen pas
tured their sleek cattle.
The Washington correspondent of
the Detroit TFibune gives the following
account of Rev. Chas. B. Smyth, of New