New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-01


him aud nothing amused him moro than gift
comics of works by eminent American writers 10
eminent Frenchmen, which the eminent French
men had sod inscription and a'l, ana
with the leaves unopened. as Huntington useu
ouietly TO point out. His was long familiar hg-
uro on the quays of Paris and in many quiet
street. whore the dealers lie in wait for the buyer.
They all know the TALL bent figure, the gentle man
ner the soft hat shading keen pair OF eyes. aud
tho thick full black beard, which served the con-
cierre at your hotel as means of describing hin
to you when he had called
Those who kaew Huntington slightly thought
that collecting was the chief object OF
his life. / have known HIM Intimately,
and l know that his life was one long sur
render TO the good of Others He had ample pri-
vate means for an existence of comfort, of luxury
even, and for the full indulgence Of his tastes III
art and American bric-a-brac. He deliberately
made himself poor man by his CONSTANT gifts
The friend who had charge OF his fortune III Amer
lea could tell You, If he chose. more about hunt
ingtons generosity than can or ought. know
Of il in many ways; never from Huntington HIM
SELF He gave right and left out OF all proportion
TO his moaus and if he had to choose between
Franklin for himself and charity for Others, 1t
was the charity which carried of tho prize
He was one of the few Americans who, without
any interest or official duty to keep them, chose 10
stay in Paris through the two slcgo5 of lS1O-7l.
Affection and sympathy for the ParIsians was ono
motive. but his secret object was to do what ne
could for the pooc of his quarter, whose prva-
lions during this slightly legendary period of Pa
rlsan history he perhaps thought more distressing
than they really were. without ccaslng to DO an
en- husiastic American, he was more tnan half
Frenchman at heart. When found my way into
Paris toward the end of the PrusSian siege, car
RED with me loaf of waite bread-then the
greatest of luxurics III a city whose inhabitants
sent odt by every balloon and pigeon post
their means over the hardship of
having to live on bread of rye and
oats | went straight to Huntingtons rooms and
produced the white pain long. which had bought
in 4 suburb. lie looked ut 1t with hungry glare,
and put 1t down on the table "Do you mean |
may have that ~ Eyes; I brought it for you"
But may have it to do what like withP Ger
family; whatever you like" lie picked up the
bread and vanished. was away half an hour and
cane back. "Woll," | sad. have you eaten it
ollfn He looked hard INTO the fire and said it was
all gone Then we went of together and dined
sumptuOusly on horse which il amusing enough
when Won begin, and know it cannot last too long.
Next day heard that lie had taken tho coveted
white loaf to n lady lying i'll in childbirth and
wasting away, the doctor said, for want OF such
food as haf-staryed Paris had more
Of Anybody would have done as much =
No doubt they would especially you, my
sleek friend who made The remark. Try it the next
time You happen to have seen for n month or two
nothing You care TO eat Huntington has been
known 10 take sccond-class passage across the
Atlantic in order TO give away the difference be-
tween second and Grst-class. Perhaps that may
serve as an example of his views of his duty 10
others Yet don't think he acted mainly from cold
views Of duty Ut ever argued himself into benevo-
cncc. lie denied hlmsclf aud gave to others from
sheer kindness of heart; it was hiA nature TO- and
ne could not DO otherwise
For more than "A year before his death Hunting
ton had suffered extremely from the malady which
killed him, but the PAIN, which he bIre courage
ousy had ceased during the last weeks, and he
passed away without struggle. Devoted friends
were with him Oac OF tho best Of them tclc-
graphed me- and he ri the news here IN the re
mote Highlands. u Thousand miles away Another
writes me that he saw him "A few hours hefore-a
portrait of Washington at the foot OF his bed, the
loom hung as ever with prints aud pictures. He
seemed To me In the midst OF IL mpre than ever
mild sweet sprit.--a natural sage and saint Aud
the next day &" HIS limc cmacIatcd benevolent old
face looks very beautiful aud touching Nineteen
wears had known INN. aud can say nothing mat
seems 10 me descriptive of this simple, genuine.
alrctIouats soul ! add only what lady who
knew hiln well writes: Il shall never caro- again
for Paris as IN the old days; hc was one oil us
charms VI W. -