CONCERNING the early history of this eccentric and remarkable man we know but little, except that he was a native of France, and born in the environs of Bordeaux, on the 24th of May, 1750. His parents were in very humble circumstances, and Girard does not appear to have been indebted to them for any advantage beyond the essential one of birth. It is probable that his early years were passed in much misery, for he never desired to return to the scene of them. Gratitude, which is certainly a feature in the character of most self-made men, did not infuse warmth into Girard's heart, and even his parents were not remembered with the usual prompt affection of nature. Of education he had but

little, being barely able to read his own language. The knowledge of this deficiency weighed heavily on his mind through life, and was undoubtedly one cause of that munificence which has given lasting interest to his name.

He is supposed to have left France at the early age of ten or twelve years, in the capacity of a cabin-boy, bound for the West Indies. Many causes have been assigned for this step; among

others, soreness at being ridiculed for a blind eye, and ill-treatment from his parents. The most probable reason is, that he left France because he thought he could do better elsewhere. He did not remain in the West Indies for any length of time, but proceeded in his vessel to New York, from which port he afterward sailed as an apprentice. When the term of his indenture had expired, he abandoned the sea as a profession, and embarked his small savings in little semi-mercantile, semi-nautical ventures. The sound judgment he displayed in these matters was not without its result. Every day he made an addition to his capital, until finally it had swollen to proportions ample enough to purchase an interest in a small vessel which plied between New York and New Orleans, of which he took command.

In 1769 he removed to Philadelphia, and in the following year married Miss Polly Lum, a young lady remarkable for her beauty. It is said that Girard "fell in love" with Miss Lum under very peculiar, if not romantic circumstances. The fascinating creature was a servant in the family of Colonel Walter Shee, and Girard's first interview was in the open street, where he beheld the damsel, destitute of shoes and stockings, and operating on a pump. She was a beautiful brunette of sixteen, with a wide reputation for modesty and charms—a reputation which was fully sustained by her subsequent but short elevation in society. The match was an unfortunate one, and productive of much wretchedness to both parties. After his marriage he rented a small house in Water Street, and continued his business in the mercantile and seafaring way. In 1771 he entered into partnership with Mr. Hazelhurst, of Philadelphia, for the purpose of carrying on trade with the island of St. Domingo. Two brigs were purchased, and of one of these Girard took the command. On the passage both were captured and sent to Jamaica, thereby breaking up the adventure, dissolving the partnership, and sadly dissappointing the owners. Much censure was thrown upon Girard for not defending his vessel, as it had been expressly furnished with an armament to make resistance if attacked. It can not now be ascertained, and, indeed, is no longer interesting, whether this censure be just or not. It may be remarked, however, that Girard was not the kind of man to lose his property cheerfully. If he had seen a way of preserving it, we may safely conclude that he would have done so. From 1772 to 1776 there is no distinct trace of his movements. He

followed the profession of sea-captain, and voyaged to those places where the most money could be made; but the extreme danger of maritime property, owing to the incessant watchfulness of British cruisers, induced him to seek his fortunes in the store rather than on the deep. Consequently, he opened a small grocery in Water Street, to which he attached a bottling establishment for claret and cider. Here he contrived to drive a profitable trade until the approach of the British army in 1777, when, with five hundred dollars which he had saved, he purchased a small farm at Mount Holly, and removed his store and business, so as to be out of harm's way. Here he continued his bottling business, and by supplying the American army, which was in the neighborhood, managed to turn an honest penny. In 1779 he returned to Philadelphia, and we find him occupying a range of frame stores on the east side of Water Street. A gentleman who at this period saw him nearly every day describes him as a plain and simply-attired man—so much so that even then he went by the general appellation of Old Girard, and was an object of curiosity in his junkshop as much as any other article there. He made a few maritime adventures to the south with moderate success, but the depressed state of the country was unfavorable to the immediate accumulation of wealth. The St. Domingo trade, however, proved highly remunerative, and enabled him, in 1782, to brave the dullness of the times, and secure upon lease a range of frame and brick stores and dwellings. The terms were extremely moderate, the trade and commerce of the city being then at its lowest ebb. Girard, with the penetration of a man destined to become a millionaire, knew that a reaction must soon take place, and that these buildings would then be of inestimable value. His lease was for ten years, and contained a proviso that if, at the expiration of that period, Girard was willing to continue the occupancy, it might be renewed for ten years more. From the rent of these stores and dwellings Girard realized enormous profits. On the day of the expiration of the term of his first lease, he waited on Mr. Stiles, his landlord, for the stipulated renewal. Mr. Stiles, anticipating his object, observed, "Well, Mr. Girard, you have made out so well by your bargain that I suppose you will hardly hold me to the renewal of the lease for ten years more." "I have come," replied Mr. Girard, "to secure the ten years more; I shall not let you off."

After this, his brother, Captain John Girard, arriving in this country, the two brothers entered into copartnership, under the firm of Stephen & John Girard, in connection with a firm at Cape Française, under the name of Girard, Bernard & Lacrampe, who were then prosecuting a highly lucrative commerce to the West Indies. The brothers were not at all fraternal in temper, and for a long time were merely united by pecuniary interests. Stephen was grasping, parsimonious, and authoritative, while John had some little sentiment in his composition, which made him yearn for something beside the unscrupulous accumulation of wealth. A rupture took place, the firm was dissolved, and it was agreed to call in an umpire to adjust and settle their concerns (1790). At that period Stephen had fallen behind his brother either in the acquisition of money or the disparity of his capital invested in the concern; for, upon the settlement of the respective portions, John was found to be worth sixty thousand dollars, while Stephen, with all his closeness, possessed but thirty thousand. Several years after the dissolution, John (who had a family) died in the West Indies, leaving Stephen executor of his will. For some eccentric reason, the latter never informed his nieces of the fortune they inherited, but reared them in total ignorance of the fact. It was not until the marriage of Antoinette to Mr. Hemphill that he rendered an account of his brother John's estate, and astonished his nieces with a knowledge of their good fortune.

men.

Immediately after the dissolution of partnership he recommenced his career as a ship-owner, and in a short time built four vessels, and dispatched them on voyages to China and the East Indies. His mind was now bent on the accumulation of riches, and the only enjoyment he permitted himself was the pursuit of this object. His biographer says that his sympathies were not with the common race of merchants or the every-day order of His ambition was to be rich, not that he might enjoy riches, but that he might die a millionaire, and so leave his name to posterity. It is scarcely probable that he possessed the faculty of enjoying himself, or, if he did, it was so intimately mixed up with making money that it assumed all the appearance of intense business application. Of domestic bliss he knew little or nothing. His wife had long been an inmate of a lunatic asylum, where she was destined to pass the remainder of her days in wretched captivity. Possibly her lot had not been of the happiest. Men of

Girard's temperament do not make good husbands, and we look in vain for the first indication of kindliness in his domestic rule. A daughter was born to him, but the poor weakly thing died, in spite of all the promise of Girard's wealth. At the period of which we are writing, Girard was unquestionably a crusty, plodding, penurious man, singularly repulsive in his appearance, and awkward and vulgar in his address. It was with the greatest difficulty that he could express himself in broken English, and never did so if there was an opportunity of speaking French. "Sympathy, feeling, friendship, pity, love, or commiseration," says his biographer, who is also his apologist and eulogist, "were emotions that never ruffled the equanimity of his mind, at least to such a degree as to relax his energy of accumulation, or impair the mass of money that rose like mountains round about him. Friends, relations, old companions, confidential agents, or the general family of mankind, might sicken and die around him, and he would not part with his money to relieve and save one among them." The dark coloring of this picture leaves us but little to expect from a man so hopelessly abandoned to Mammon; yet a bright and extraordinary trait of goodness manifested itself. In 1793, Philadelphia was desolated with the plague. The horrors of that frightful visitation have been so often described that it is unnecessary to rehearse them now. Husbands deserted their wives; children their parents; every one, in fact, who could rush from the scene of destruction, did so. The instinct of preservation rose paramount above all other considerations, and scenes of the most revolting and unnatural character were the inevitable result of a general panic. Among the poorer classes the mortality and suffering were of course greatest. The impossibility of getting proper attendance and medical skill pressed with fatal weight upon them. Many of these evils the rich could avoid. If they were attacked, their money obtained for them the best physicians in the city; if they were well, it carried them into the country, beyond the reach of infection. It would have been excusable if Stephen Girard, like thousands of his fellow-townsmen, had thus consulted his personal safety by flight. To the surprise of every one, however, he not only staid, but volunteered his services to nurse the sick. We quote from Mr. Carey's pamphlet: "At a meeting on Sunday, September 15th, a circumstance occurred to which the most glowing pencil could hardly do justice.

H