That gentleman came to America, proceeded to Philadelphia, and sought out Mr. Richard Peters, to whom the letters of introduction were presented. Judging from what followed, Mr. Peters recommended Samuel Humphreys to Iaskoff.

An interview was held in one of those coffee houses then in vogue, where gentlemen of business met to discuss matters which engaged their attention either of business or politics, or to hear the news of the day.

The terms offered by Mr. Iaskoff to Humphreys were as follows: "A salary of 60,000 dollars a year, with town and country residence to be maintained by the Emperor, together with carriages, horses, and servants; if these were not considered sufficient, Mr. Humphreys could name his terms.

This dazzling offer was declined by Mr. Humphreys, who stated, "the salary is greater than I could earn, more than I need, more than I want, more than I could use; as to town and country houses, I need but one, and that should be near my business. As to the coaches and servants, I always walk and wait on myself, and should find myself unable to control a multitude of servants; I do not know that I possess the talents my friend Mr. Peters ascribes to me, but I do know, and feel, that whether my merit be great or small, I owe it all to the flag of my country, and that is the debt I must pay."

"Humphreys had spoken; the silence was oppressive. Joseph Hopkinson, who was present, stood with hands clasped before him, silent and attentive, then waving his right hand around his head, exclaimed in a voice thick with emotion, ‘Had he done otherwise, he would not have been his father's child. Dick [probably referring to Mr. Peters], let Mr. Adams hear of this.'

"Some weeks after this occurrence, Mr. Adams, unheralded, entered the office. Previously, the Navy had been managed by a Board of five gentlemen, called 'Commissioners of the Navy.' Mr. Southard, the Secretary of the Navy, proposed to abolish this Board, substituting for it a 'Bureau of Construction and Repair.' This was made the subject of a message by Mr. Adams to Congress. A bill was drafted, introduced, and passed both Houses, receiving the signature of the President. Samuel Humphreys at once entered upon the duties of this office, which he held to the day of his death, at Georgetown, District of Columbia, August 16, 1846."

Humphreys' words were pearls of perfect shape, size, and luster; his fortune lay in those sentences quoted, which bespeak lofty patriotism before personal aggrandisement.

Such was the man who was the father of Andrew Atkinson Humphreys. We are safe in stating that such a son might possess all the attributes of a perfect man.

With the Government of this country since the Revolution, the family has held high positions; contrasting the past with the future, and looking into it as far as human ken, it is believed this race has run its course, so far as the profession of arms is concerned, as the younger generation have selected more peaceful occupations than that of arms.

With the passing away of Henry and Charles, sons of General Humphreys, the family will close its connection with this country and its military career, a career which has been one of honor for over one hundred years. The name of Humphreys which has been written in the pages of history since the year A. D. 1035, as soldiers, having served its purpose, must and will die out. Such is the law

of nature.

CHAPTER III

HUMPHREYS' EARLY LIFE

NDREW ATKINSON HUMPHREYS, a sturdy infant, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

AN

November 2, 1810, on a sunny day. Some will have it that a child's disposition will be in unison with the surroundings present with his advent to this world, others deny it. Nevertheless, Humphreys' nature was bright and cheerful; he was strong beyond his years; subsequently his eyes, which were blue, changed to steel blue.

When he grew older, his mother always called him her "sympathetic child." To have brought out such an expression from his mother, the bond uniting them must have been stronger than those which generally unite mother and child. He always responded to her gentle touch.

As a boy he was fearless, upright, honorable, and with those traits of character was a determined spirit of resistance to anything resembling tyranny or personal affront; a leader in manly sports and expeditions of a dangerous character.

Sturdy of frame, he had a deep chest, short and strong inferior extremities, stout arms and hands which never struck save to avenge personal insult; handsome features, fine, curling brown hair, and engaging but simple manners which never changed during his life.

From his father he received his great courage with a total disregard of danger, iron resolution, integrity of character, patriotism, and an analytical mind. From his mother, who possessed grace and liveliness, came his selfcontrol, his disinclination to believe evil report of persons;

his readiness to admit circumstances in extenuation without weakness or credulity of judgment, and lastly his great admiration for woman, like the knights of olden times.

Tommy Watson of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and Warren, an Englishman, were his first tutors. The latter person used the rod unmercifully. Receiving punishment from Warren for an act not committed by himself, Humphreys left the school. No entreaty or persuasion could induce him to return, though Warren promised a change of treatment, expressing regret in losing one possessing talents and ability. Humphreys played truant from school many times; and with one David Sparks often visited Camden, New Jersey, by the ferry boat which plied between the two cities.

Undoubtedly punishment followed for those affairs, but with poor results. Once he and Sparks were about to enter a coffee house on Second or Third Street of Philadelphia, but before doing so, he saw his father, who would have been greatly displeased on finding him there, enter that place. Both he and Sparks hid.

Once Humphreys was seen without shoes and stockings helping a poor family to move their goods from one house to another near his home. By this act, one perceives a subtle courtesy not foreign to him; all through his life his inferiors were treated in such a manner that they never felt their inferiority.

When his father went to Europe in connection with shipbuilding, his brother Clement and he ran wild. Their mother, unable to control them, cast about for some school where both would be under better restraint, and finally selected Nazareth, situated in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, settled by the Moravians, who there had established a school.

All the arrangements for sending them to that place had been perfected the day before; the stage was to call the next morning. When it arrived the boys could not be found. The search was about finished, when a foot was seen projecting from the throat of a large chimney in one of the rooms of the house. This foot belonged to Clement, Andrew was farther up the chimney. It was Andrew who had suggested that mode of concealment, believing they would not be discovered until after the coach had gone, thus defeating the project of sending them away. Both were compelled to descend, their clothes more or less covered with soot were brushed, they were placed in the stage, and off they started for Nazareth. It is to be regretted that the early lives of all our great men are but little known, and Humphreys' early life is no exception. His boyish pranks have been related; there are no others known. When he stands before the world, his specialties, not one but many, stamp him as one of the best-known men in science. His shoulders carried loads which would have broken down other men. Such loads did impair his health for a time; but recovering it, he was able to disclose many facts hitherto unknown to the world.

"It is now forty years since I was last here as a schoolboy, and the recollections of those days are of the most pleasing character. The mild and parental discipline, the wholesome moral and religious influence, that this institution has ever thrown around its pupils, gave a bent to my mind and character for which I am very thankful.

"If I have achieved any success in life, or have been able to render any service to my country or to my fellow men, I attribute all to the advantages which I received in this Institution."

Quitting the Hall at Nazareth, he had a private tutor,