The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-12

patients, and in the school-room of her
children. She followed the precepts of her
mothers great Rrandfather, the Rev. Gabriel
Marion, grandfather of General Francis Ma
rion. AZ expressed in his will to the following
effect: "As to the poor I have always
family will, know, follow my example"
II also contained this item: II give her,
my wife, mr. new carriage and horses, that
she may visit her friends in comfert." This
ancestor came from Rochelle in the large
ship chartered for the Carolinas by several
wealthy Huguenot families. The Hugers
and Trapiero and others came over in tho
same ship. He did not leave France empty
handed, for ON his arrival in Carolina he
bouRhta plantation ON Goose creek, near
Charleston, where he was buried.
While belle in this city my mothers ad
mirers were legion, until young Georgian,
in the person Of my father, stepped in and
secured the prize and took her off to Savan-
nah. He was fresh from Princeton college,
cut short in his college career by a large fire
it down, destroying my grandfather's city
property. The old gentleman. when the fire
occurred, refused to leave his residence (now
the Pulaski hotel), and was taken forcibly
from the burning building in his chair. He
then owned the valuable business portion
of the 0lty, and at once went to work to re-
buiAd. His relatives would not assist him,
and 81 he sent for his only son, then at COL
lego, and got him to indorse all his notes,
and IN this way secured from the banks the
money he wanted for building purposes.
He undertook too much, and my father
debt then incurred. Nothing daunted, he
went to work at the bar and commenced
life with his beautiful young northern wife.
All that time there was q great PREJUDICE
against northern people. My fathers
mother never forgaye my mother for being
IN I'D
though she knew her son was weighed down
with his fathers debts, insisted on his free
ing all the neRr JOS she owned and left him
by will, enjoining him to do this an her last
dying request; i is needless to say 10 did
il, and not only this. but became the guar
dian Of those people and helped and cared
for them 90 long as he lived. Being repeat
eddy mayor Of the city Of Savannah, he was
able to protect them, and 90 devoted were
the whole colored population to him that
the largest colored church in the city of
Savannah. offered up prayers for him on
every Sunday, as is done in our Episcopal
church for the president Of the United
States. Blest with Eve sons nad one daugh-
ter, struggling to maintain them by his
practice at the bar, this best of fathers sent
his family north every summer. with one or
two exceptions, to Newport, r. l., which at
that time was really q southern colony.
1t was the fashion then at Newport to
lease Tor the summer farmers house on
the island and not live in the town. The
first relief to this hard-worked man was
sending his oldest son to West Point, where,
] will here add, he did the family great |
credit BY becoming, being and dying mo-
BILE soldier and Christian.
My second brother, Hall, grew up with |
che poet Milton always under his arm. He |
was great student. At the little village of |
springfield. Ga, where my family had |
country house, and whore we occasionally |
remember, as a boy of 16 years of age, |
reading the declaration Of Independence on |
the Fourth Of July from the pulpit OF the |
village church to the descendants Of the /
6alxburghers, who came over soon after
Ogiethorpe. and it was before an audience |
OF these piney woods farmers that, with this |
brother. at meeting of our debating So |
clety II this village. discussed the ques- |
ton. (Which 10 the Stronger Passion, Love |
or Ambition" he advocating Ambition, / |
Love. I we'll remember going for him as |
follows: IF his motto be that of Hercules, |
the lnvincible. ] assume for mine that Of /
his opponent, Venus, tho Victorious. With |
my sling and stone ! will enter this unequal |
combat and thus hope to slay this great |
Goliath" The twelve good and true men |
who heard the discussion decided in INV |
favor. To the end of his days this brother |
of mine was guided and governed BY this |
self-same ambition; it made him what he |
became. q great lawyer, the lawyer
OF the Pacific coast; his boast to me |
being that he saved seventeen lives, never
having Lost murder case. let ambition |
10, and through life and to the preeent |
moment swear by my goddess, Venus.