, 1881-09-16

Some New md Interesting Anecd otes Of
tho Grcnt ConsmoMcr.
Laneast<r {Fa.) Correspondence I'httadttphia Ttmts
Like most great NEIL Mr. Stevens Ind his
small idiosyMcrasies. LII onc respect lie WIS
n genuine old bachelor; his age was always
profound secret, md ito questions looking
toward tho discovery thereof was ever asked
In his presence, ut least BY those who were
acquainted with Ills pecullarity. 4 few
years before Ills death All old Aboltionlst
family Of tho county, Intimate friends Of Mr..
Stevens, had with them rs gov0rnness
young Vermont indy. She desired much to
meet him, and her employer asked Mr. Stav-
ems it his daughters might bring ter to call.
"Oh, yes" was his reply; "all tho peo.
pie In Vermont nra my cousins. Tell
hor to come along" Accordingly the
party OF three young ladies came and were
received by the oil gentleman with his usual
urbanity. All went yery we'll until the Yer
mont Indy said, most innocently, Of course,
"ln what year did you leave Vermont, Mr.
steyens?" uer pupils held their bEeath
with horror, this being question that no
enrthly power could lave induced them to
ask. They did not know what would como
next, but their host replied very pleasantly:
,'Well, indeed, 1t was such long time aRo
that hardly like to tell It before these young
| ladiost" The conversation continued With
out further accident, nut the Incident caused
great amusement to all to whom 1t was told.
| As Ia well known, Mr, Stayons was one Of
the leaders OF the antf-Afasonlo party Iii
| Pennsylvania forty-1iva years ago. lie r0-
maiucd to the end OF his life an ardent oppo-
nent and hater of Masonry. Many were the
vertal "ttlts" that Ills friends who were
MasoNs had with him Upon this subject A
! strange circumstance Is that h8 h al IN his
library everything that had at TINT time been
written either In favor ct or against tl6 Nil
lit, Hteycns was confirmed and thorough
skeptlc in religion, aud seemed to take pleas.
ure I'll giving forth Ills views on tlIls subject
upon many occasions. III old times IT was
when iust. admitted 70 Give = supp0r 70 the
members of tie bar. 1lnnyuf these w!ll lonIk
remember blr. Stevens, public avowal Of llis
skeptica! opLnlons while seated at the taDle
In early and middle life tt,e great lender
was very handsome nlHli. Ills face WAX as
distinguished rs his figure WIS Wtll lnatte,
the latter being inarred only ~ t1at unfortll'
inxiy sensitive upon tll8 subject Of this ulls'
fortune, yet it WIS blessing in dlagulse. foi
1t caused him always to Bynlpat!lize WIN alld
~ 4ssgly Interested N these %'q SpIs were ae 1ar
penter. Of Lancaster, who Was his physician
an intimate frend, tells shls inctlent; lyA!a
Jal.a i =, 4 Quaker widow of considerable
literary tasta and, a9ll!ty, with whose ltfS'
bu!d Mr, Stevens had beea well acquainted =!
circumstances. liz first give fer q houst
aid farm lii foe simple. THEN, desiring ,stll
further to help her, he brought her sldes
son, Byron r-. to Lancaster 70 educAt
Which rendsreti that member stitf, Aoon ats
} its arrival In Lancaster Mr. Stevens cs!let
. on Dr. Carpenter and asked htm Il he Ast
stated hls truubEe, Mr. Stevens said that I
good many physicians had been CONSULTED