Eccentricities Of Mr. Girard

Many stories re related of old Girard's eccentricities, but here is one I know has never yet been told. I get it from my wife's wrinkled mother, whose parents knew tho old man when he kept bis little shop In old Mt. Holly's crooked streets, over in New Jersey, and sold cantiles and toread and buckets and needies. Mrs. Taylor, the widow of one of bis shipmastere, lost at sea, had grown old in his service as housekeeper. She had twice suecumbed to his weird manners and left Mm, each time returning. She had saved a snug little sum, and determined to purchase a home. She selected a little brick house, wofully in need of repair, on Cbatham street above Callowhill and next door to some of her wann friends. She was advised to wait Friends told her old Girard would surely provide for her comfort in bit wilL She made the purchase, however, and Girard got an inkling of it. One day ISn, Taylor's friends saw a queer looking man peering over the back fence of the little estate. He walked up through the yard and tried the back door, but could not get in' Then he knocked at Wie door of tbe house ad joining and secured the key to the door. Ha went through it, and the next day a crowd of mechanics took possession, and the little brick house was snugly fltted up. Mrs. Taylor heard about it a day or two ofter the work had begun. When Girard died Mrs. Taylor was lef t Í500 a year as lonir as slu 'Jved.-