The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-21
OLD ''HAPPY Days" DEAD.
A Well Known Eccentric of
Brooklyn Suddenly Expires.
CHARMING PECULIARITIES
That Endcared Him to Everybody
and Won the Respect Of All-The
Romantic Story of His Life.
A Religious RccIusc.

New YORK, Sept. 2O.-The community
ofabout 800 miscellaneous persons, who
make their home in Hotel st. George
on Brooklyn Heights, would not have
missed their oldest member, Mr.. Charles
S. Northrup, had not Custom House In
spector Joseph 0'Neil, who occupies III,
apartments adjacent to the room of the
old man, remarked casually to Proprie
tor Tumberidge yesterday morning: "a
didn't hear any prayer meeting last
night. Mr.. Northrup must be sick. y
The pretty chambermaid OF the tenth
floor soon after reported to the house.
keeper the Unprecedented news that
"Happy Days" had not slept in his room
on Tuesday night and consequently the
hotel was ahead two clean towels. By
and by q messenger from the Chamber
Street Hospital, New York, brought in
telligence OF the venerable gentleman's
sudden death from apoplexy. He had
left the hotel Tuesday morning in his
usual cheerful frame OF mind and with
his old silk hat OF extraordinary size
shading Il face at once the saddest, the
most benevolent, the most kindly in ex-
preston that has been for years familiar
to the residents of Brooklyn Heights.
"uAPPY DAYS"
was nick name given him by those
who knew little OF this lonely old man,
beyond the fact that nightly in his room
far above the sights and sounds OF the
city, he was known to sit by the hour
reading his Bible aloud and singing
Methodist hymns, among which his
lavorite was the one with this refrain:
,",oh, happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away"
Always in the early hours of the night,
when he knew that his devotions would
disturb no one, this pious father OF q
large family that had forsaken and de-
ceived him sought consolation in soil
tude and was not ashamed to let the
wild young men who played billiards
down stairs until o'clock in the morn
ing know that the happy hours OF life
are not those OF conviviality but OF
with ones self.
Everybody respected Mr.. Northrup,
and nobody knew how he managed 10
live without visible occupation. Now
that he is dead, the few who laughed ut
his simple and open faith in Heaven,
will acknowledge that he deserves all
the eternal happiness and peace in which
he so earnestly trusted.
HIS HISTORY,
When the war began Mr.. Northrup
was rich man, part Of his property be.
ing invested in half a million doEilrs
worth OF Government bonds. 1t was his
misfortune to have relatives whom he
trusted and who induced him TO invest
in wild schemes that ruined him. One
OF these was company organized to
medicinal powder from
the waters OF an alkaline lake in New
The ravages OF war destroyed
much OF his property in the South, and
he won several suits against the Govern.
ment for damages. This money, with
the financial help he received from his
brother-in-law, Henry w. Sabine, prop
erly clerk OF the New York and Brook.
lyn bridge, was sufficient for his modest
needs. He had pending at the time OF
his death suit for the recovery OF $l2,-
900 damages, the success OF which was
almost certain. In burst OF confidence
unusual with Mr.. Northrup, he once
communicated the information that his
failure in life, his poverty in old age,
were warning against the folly OF in.
dorsing promissary notes for friendship.
"Yet, | thank my friends for being the
cause of all my misfortune" he said,
because l found friend in Jesus"