The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-03-13

Stephen Girard, after whom insuranc,
companies, fire and life, have been named
and who was at one time deeply interested
in marine matters, as well as great fiaancia
schemes on shore, saw low days. befor,
he saw his high ones. At the age of abou
thirty years, Girard's occupation alternated
between that OF captain and merchant, &C
casionally making voyage to New Or
leans or San Domingo, and then remaining
at home to dispose of his cargo and adjus
his accounts for second voyage. 1t wa.
while prosecuting one of these adventures
that he was met at the capes of Delaware
by Captain james King, of Philadelphia
and who has given the following curious
and remarkable account Of Girard's con
dition at that time:
On the first day of May, 1776. (says Cap
tain King.) l was chased by a British man.
Of-war. l ran my vessel ashore, all sails
Cape Henlopen. While waiting at Lewis
town for an opportunity to come up, the
men-of-war were coming in and out every
day, SO as to prevent u, from sailing. One
morning, saw sl0Op at anchor, within
the cape, with a white flag flying. ap-
piled to Major Fisher, who was thea com
Inander, to send a pilot aboard of her. mo,
no, King" said he, ST that is only . Brit
ist decOy to get pilot; shall not trust
them." | then went over the cape, oppo-
site to where the slOop lay at anchor.
thing could in order to gain attention; they
answered me in the same manner, but the
surf made such noise as to prevent us
from understanding each other, from which
concluded to turn back, but, as was return
ing, discovered boat approaching me with
flag on staff. 1 waited till they came up,
when they told me that they had orders
from Major Fisher tina. if would risk my
self with them, to 20 alongside the sloop,
they would convey me; and If not, to return.
l Immediately stepped into their boat, and
we proceeded to the slOop. On inquiring
where she was from, they informed me in
French, that they were from New Orleans.
aud bound to st. Pierre's, but that they h ad
lost them selves. l explained to the cap.
tain, whose name was Girard, the dangerous
situation they were in, and If he attempted
to go out he certainly would be captured,
as the men-Of.war were in and out every
day.
"My God, what shall.I do s'' said Girard.
"You have no chance but 10 push right up
to Philadelphia ;" replied.
How shall | do to get there? have no
pilot and don't know the way"
"These men are all ilOts," I answered.
so my good friend - said he, can't you
get one of them to take charge of me?"
said that | would try, and accordingly
spoke to them. The were willing, but in
sisted they mast hare fvc dollars 10 give the
men for rowing them off.
SO my good J" exclaimed Girard.
"what snail | do: Ihare not got fcc dollars
aboard"
"Darn the Frenchman!- was the reply,
eve don't believe him he hasn't come TO
sea without being able to muster five dol
lars"
informed him what the men had said,
and he replied,
IT is really Ms. case IL is out of my po,o-
er TO muster IL aud iohat shall doP"
WE'LL" said |, /" / can not stay with you
any longer. for a5u going up to PhiIadel-
phia my self, and see one of my shallops
coming out of Lewistown Creek ut this mo-
ment.'
"Oh you are going up to Philadelphia
yourself, are You ?" observed Glrard - can
you not stand security to these men for the
five dollars. and will gay you as soon as |
get up to the city?"
told him that would, and one of the
pilots then took charge Of his sloOp, and
heaving anchor Immediately.
| jumped into the boat and parted with
them. The boat put me on board Of the
shallOp that was coming out of LewistOwn
with my goods, and both slOop and shallop
proceeded up. Before we had got out OF
sight of the spot where the sloop had cast
anchor, we saw British man. Of war COM
ing in; had we not started at the time, in
less than an hour Stephen Girard would
have been q prisoner TO the British. We
both arrived safe in Philadelphia.
A disagreeable incident seems to have in
some degree interfered with the comfort of
three hundred passen yers on board the ves-
vel Glenarvney, on its voyage to Calcutta.
One night, when they were slumbering
tween deck in the Straits of Malacca, they
were disturbed by the gamb9ls of q black
panther, who had escaped from cage in
which 1t was confined, q ID amused itself by
making springs over their PROSTATE bodies
Their screams having attrackted attention,
every available means of exit were thrown
open, and all the passengers reached the
deck in safety. One man alone appeared t.
have suffered from the claws of the animal,
a large piece of skin and flesh being torn of
his back. As the panther cOuli not be found.
Il was concluded that he must have jumped
put Of the port into the sea, and next even- |
ng the passengers settled down in their |
quarters as before. During the night, how
ever, the panther turned up again. Some
stores being required from for.
ward, one Of the Chinese lascars was sent
down to get them, when he suddenly return |
I'd, exclaiming, in trembling accents. "Tiger |
gotee down terre." The captain, deter
mined to stand NO further nonsense, imme- |
lately sent for his breech-loaking rifle and
and went down the hatch by
himself, and ordered 1t to be closed after |
him, for fear the beast should again get on
deck, and cause further annoyance and
alarm to the passengers. On reaching the
deck of the stoHe-rOom and looking around.
the large yellow-lit eyes Of the animal glarcd
down on him from the top of some spars
slowed away by the ships side. Taking
advantage of the dim light admitted by the
port, the captain took q steady aim at what
he considered the center OF the animals
body and fired. Still the yellow eyes glared
on, until, a second shot being fired, the
panther, measuring seven feet eight inches
in length, rolled dead at the captains feet,
to his great relief and no doubt that of his
passengers also.
PAPER CONFERENCE.-The mode of ma
king cOmtOrtables warmer by lining them
with newspapers. Is good, as long as they
last, which cannot be long, especially after
washing a few times. l have tried elm.
pier way of attaining the same object On
cold nights, when have not had sufficient
bedding over me, especially at hotels, where
we can not always get just whaG we want.
Throw off one or two OF the top covers from
the bed, then pull from the pocket, or satch-
large one will do-spread them on the bed,
replace the cover, and you will have warm
and comfortable night, without any percep-
tible increase In the weight Of the bedding.
Again, when you have hard, cold tide In a
cuffer of ten Or twenty miles, aUainet the