Daily Republican., 1880-09-03
GlRARD,s OLD SERVANT.

Pegging away al pair OF SHOES IN
little basement shop on 10th stree
above Girard Avenue, q reporter Of tn
Philadelphia Record the other day foun'
an aged shoemaker. A little tin sigl
at the head Of his steps bore the nam
OF C. Simpson. Mr.. Simpson is
mulstto, whose age corresponds will
that Of this oentury-eighty years.
Notwithstanding his sedentary occu
patton he is exceedingly well preserved
The frosts Of many years have lai'
bare the top Of his well formed head
but ooronst Of snow. white hair still
encircles "the place where the woo
ought to grow" A short, curly aut
fisecy beard adorns his intelligent face
which Immediately becomes illumina
ted with wisdom and good hume
when the visitor touches upon his ia
vorite topic-his service in the employ
OF the eccentric remarkable philanthro
pist, Stephen Girard. The venerable
maker of shoes goes on with his pegginl
and tells his story in this way:
"When was just past Y and work
ing on a plantation down in Maryland
the place where Was born, al &C
quaintanee told me he could get me Z
place vita . wealthy gentleman II
Philadelphia, who was lookin' around
for q first class coloTed servant. Tha'
Just suited me then, and got my
freedom with some money l had lait
up for that purpose, and came on here
He engaged me for three months, a.
the expiration Of which time | left hin
because he didn't offer to raise my
wages, which l thought should bt
more that what he was q renderin' me
He was a sort Of a queer ole feller,
and very gruf to mos every body,
even unto his own family; but | tsok
notion that / could tickle his fancy.
and tried my level hardest.
Idpn't know whether | succeeded al
first, but it's fact, he never was real
cross to me like he was to other persons
However, | lef him and went down
home. 1t wasn't long afore | received
notification that Mr.. Girard wanted
'Charles,' az he used to familiarly call
me, to come back. | concluded 1t was
best to accept. and went back for eight
months at the same remuneration.
Then lef' him once more, although
he asked me to stay. | told him there
was more important business for me in
the South. Well, It just 30 happened
that soon after lef', Mr.. Stephen got
bruised up very bad by an accident in
the street. Everybody knows how
stubborn the ole man was. In 1873, as
he was going along Market street from
his house to the bank, wagon came
along Just as he was a goin' TO cross.
He wouldn't give way for the wagon,
and the wagon wouldn't give way for
him. The driver drove right along,
lust as though he didn't see Girard,
who slurg out his right arm as quick
as though he was q heavin' a boot at
one of his help, and slapped the OF
horse a whack in the face. The ami
mails veered around in consequence,
and the pole of the wagon caught him
over the head. knocking him down.
He didn't say q word, but laid there
while the team ran over him, cutting
him up horribly. They took him home
and laid him up in bed, but there was
nobody could attend to him to suit
him 80 he sent for me again, and We
got i ong first rate. When he got well
he raised my wages to fourteen dollars
month, which was the best pay for
With a tlnge of pride in his tone and
the statement with a
vigorous whack at the heel peg,
continued: 81 was the only
servant that sver let' him, he told me
himself, except in anger, and the only
one that ever came back. About three
months before he died my time with
him was up. saw he did not want
me to leave him and made up my mind
| was worth more money. The Irish
servant, or porter, he had, used to tell
me 10 never mind what he paid me ;
we'd have 1t all made up in the will
after master died. But wasn't waitin'
for no will. was always within
seein' or at least hearin' distance OF
Mr.. Stephen, and one day | recollect a
| overheard when they
didn't know was about and attsndiA'
to my duty. DIR. Clark says to Gil
rard:
"Stephen, do you know that Charles
is going to leave your"
"Mr. Stephen said in his quick, sharp
way: 'Oh, my good God-Charles ia
going too leave me' What have | done
to Charlesf"
." Hs is going to work at his trade
with Mr.. Enoch Middleton, where hee
can earn more money Than you Civ
him." -
"'Oh, my good God,' Mr.. Girard re.
peated III his curious way Il guess l
have got as much money as Mr.. Middle
ton has,
"And the next time l saw him told
him | wanted more meney."
"How much do you wantS" he asked.
"I told him three hundred dollars a
year was about proper"
ooh, my good God," he said. "Do
YOU know how much that is month
Charles ?"
"He thought didn't know but l
did, and told him it was twenty-five
dollars a month"
"That's too much, he said. "What
is the least you will take''
81 thought two hundred ana ior1y
dollars a year was as low as l could
"All right" he said "you shall
have it. But don't you tell any OF the
other servants what | have done or they
will all want their wages raised"
"Well, he went right into the parlor
and told Mrs. Taylor, his housekeeper,'
that he got me to stay and how much
he was going to give. His little grand
A. I'D n h