"
"O yes, my son will know what it is. My hand trembles so that I cannot
write any better."
"But," said the captain,
"you can at least write your name. I am acting for the
owners of the ship, and I cannot risk their property for a
piece of paper that no one can read. Let one of the
gentlemen draw up a draft in proper form; you sign it; and I
will put you ashore."
The old gentleman would not consent to this mode of proceeding, and
the affair was dropped.
A favorable wind blew the ship swiftly on her way, and Mr. Astor's
alarm subsided. But even on the banks of Newfoundland, two thirds of
the way across, when the captain went upon the poop to speak a ship
bound for Liverpool, old Astor climbed up after him, saying, "Tell
them I give tousand dollars if they take a passenger."
Astor lived to the age of eighty-four. During the last few years of
his life his faculties were sensibly impaired; he was a child again.
It was, however, while his powers and his judgment were in full vigor
that he determined to follow the example of Girard, and bequeath a
portion of his estate for the purpose of "rendering a public benefit
to the city of New York.
Pages:
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858