Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-09-25

y = I-4f~&t~f~S>f eSf8 - 49,
Of the Crephic. you hare, an. arts
cerning The daughter Of Aaron BIZ
was, indeed. the good angel .ef tAal
guided man. There is nyssery q
ted with her disappearancc. and.
say, "the vessel nerer racbed -
nation; was never heard, from. al1e
ing Charleston .hsrbor.' = Wild RI
mission. viii tel ron THAT Lise
matter, What I an about - -
be trsdikionery il : degree. ~
pos<ess : i5e5 ~ .ins>e1d, 1o1 Z
Il was understood. at the time. HSf a.
cause OF Theodosia's coming Nortbto her
father was because Of the indiferece be-
tween herself and husband regardm BSrr.
Theodosia defended her, fathers esions,
while Governor Aston derounsedthem.
This was the cause Of . separation, ,Theo-
dosia embarked in vessel Tor yeIYcrk,
in the care Of a Mr.. Gray, .. salthy
South Carolinian. She took txo & her
children with her. also large quantity Of
family plate. Tidings Of her departure
reached New York and her arriva vas
anxiouslv looked for BY the lonely old
man. But. alas she never came. tn,
bereaved father gave her up as dad
whether the yesse. foundered at sea, q
what happened they never knew. Atihs
time. my great-grandfather, Philip. Ir-
neau. visited Burr. As he entered tie
Office. Burr met him. and grasping lis
hand. said. "Mr. Freneau. l know Wit
you came for; l have received no tidins;
I am desolate -
AS he spoke the tears gushed from Us
eyes, and he cried like child. Freneu
tried to reassure him. but to no effect; be
conviction that she was lost to him cold
not be shaken. Touched by The grietof
the wretched father Freneau Afterwards
sent him poem entitled "Theodosi. in
the Morning Star" which was published
in one Of the carly editions of his poems.
Deprived Of the only being who lGed
him. friendless and alone. the old, nan
gradually sank, until death ended his
grief. Now comes the mysterious pat ol
the sad story. l cannot vouch for the
truth of it. as I have been unable to BRO
cure anything Of a documentary nature
bearing upon the subject. Many years
ago. notorious pirate. named Gibbs, was
captured. brought to this port. and con-
demned to be hung and gibbeted. On
his condemnation be made a confession,
among other crimes confessed to having
captured the vessel which contained The.
odosia Aston. He said that he received
Charleston. having on board plate q! fssR
value. He resolved to lay in wait for her
he did so. and captured the vessel with
all on board. In the struggle for the pos.
session Of the ship many Of the crew and
officers were killed. Gibbs resolved tc
put the survivors to death Ss tie only way
Of disposing Of them. Mrs. Aston beg
gcd for the lives Of herself and children
She offered him all the wealth she posses
sed. and promised to secure him from
harm. She kneeled to him and eutreat.
cd him in the most bcseechiug tones, but
the pirate was incxorable. He said tha
If he saved them. he must save the rest
and tha: he could not do. He now forced
them to walk the plank" The turn o1
the two little boys came. and, as they dis
appeared in the sea. the mother firmly and
proudly stepped of the board to follow
them. Whether this is the true story o
the fate of Theodosia | do not know. /
there is a copy Of Gibbs confession in ex
istence. this incident would very likely b,
mentioned. If true it was well thai Bur,
was spared the additional pain Of learning
the mode Of his daughters death. -