St. Landry democrat., 1883-12-15
stephen GITard.

ssE,th y recently contributed an arti
c,a " ,' tha c;ncinnati Fnnnirer on g Ar
;stoc,.tic Maria res.n A correspondent
ls ~ tl - Tanis Rsn,,hl;can in which
NJ nan oa The article was reproduced. writes
ptpe oi,o o fran, phila dnlnhia
as iJiloa > a .,nnl nith Establishments at
4,,,,, ofaremna herein contained to the
dna lsti.o relot;nns If Stenhen Girard.
T r. - onnfassnalw stranoe that The world
~ 10 uos 80 I;ttia rasnacf;nn the nriyate
h ~ W + I a;st;non;shad nl,ilanfhronist.
lile =; IiI,a s;no., IS these latter days the
5 Jap,sost;a o Of ali nnhlie men
uones so be ranarded rs nnblie Droperty.
eoa g H. w w a,7 thousands have wonder
oil WV G;rayd established a princely
eu , WY u utaia ench S' s;n@miar nrpvisions
I coz si ias+ ,n;ll for ;fs novernment9
E an n, ,sa ,' 70 rras,n,ad to know that
E Eay p To,,aoa - finest educational
i n.;.ot; ou ~ flo world with = nronerty
.I,a .ssassad valne If which is Ss 0O0,-
n ono " ad,o;ts nona Init ornhans and that
u un n,;n;star mr. minister's son is permit
t ~ n, - antar anv of IFS bindings or
ouu
8 Rnt wIv9
aDatl,s y.orrosnondance. which con-
o s ,,.;nst ;ns;nnations against
r;ssr syn ,,r,,np,ts mo tn rive the follow
a nf,r p which obtained while
lns I lnlu, .11a onlloaa in the early mart of
Nana,,sh vow last
i>o :. Har;no Several honrs of leisure
,nh;ia ~ p5;,a1aInhia nnon the occasion
r,,rarraI ~ in cnmnanv with n resident
e IL rlana drove ont ~ that renoWn-
eli nhilanthrppic memorial, and after in
Sp. .s t i.s an,nie gronnds. instituted
III ms3 ;n v omonn old Philadelpbians to
an a y nnssihle the motives which
s...l..,,taa cirard in founding the insti-
tn,;mn and The canse of his enmity to-
Uara ali churches Tho story. as OBJ
tanned II from nnuuestionably correct
Sources is as follows:
G;rard was formerly deyout
|ratLol;c. whose contributions to the
church at times we're almost princely.
He did NOT marry until many years of
old bachelorhood had tinged his hair
with orny. and bnt tor a strange meet
W.; M,rn y s,"I dnnbtless have remained a
ceIibate. Being the largest ship-oWner.
in the world. his business led him to all
narts of the globe. aud his name was fa-
m,,iar in every merchant port. On a
nuhiic occasion. when a large body of
merchants welcomed him home after a
long crnise. the festivities of the recep-
tion turned from speech making to a
grand bali. at which Girard saw and
was introduced to the daughter of a
urominent gentleman Of Philadelphia,
and this meeting. which had many sin
gular features about it not necessary to
he related here. eliminated in mar
rage.
ut is said by all those with whom /
have conyersed on this subject that
Glrard's young wife was beautiful and
4 lady Of rare polish and education. His
treatment of her, instead Of being aus
tere. as Gath declares, was that of a
proud lover, very anxious to excite her
favors by a bestowal of elegant gifts
and a constant exhibition OF loving ten
derness. One year after his marriage,
business called Girard to South America,
where lie remained nearly eighteen
months, and upon his return was greet
her caresses were poison to his lips, for
there were unmistakable evidences,
readily apparent, that she was about to
hecome a mother.
!" I could. add nothing to the facts of
this sad story by dwelling upon the
scene which followed. Glrard's re-
proach was succeeded by frank con
fession from his wife, who named Their
fayorite pastor as her guilty companion.
/ am not prepared to say of what de-
nomination Mrs. Girard was member,
bnt INV impression now is that Girard
had some time previously Withdrawn
from the Catholic Church for some just
reason, and that both he and his wife
had united with some Protestant sect.
"Girard could not forgive his wife,
and she. being a keenly- sensitive wo-
man. was SO conscience striker by her
great crime that two months after the
revelation she became insane, and was
carried to a mad house. Here she Ian.
euislled for nearly two years, when
death delivered her Of her malady. The
church Of which, she was a member took