Audubon the Naturalist: A History of His Life and Time. Vol. 1 (of 2)Herrick, Francis Hobart
History
Audubon the Naturalist: A History of His Life and Time. Vol. 1 (of 2)
Herrick, Francis Hobart
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851
[138] "_Serinettes_," the old time music boxes, or
bird-organs, of Swiss origin, that were very popular in
America down to the time of the Civil War, or even later. They
were manufactured at St. Croix as late as 1880; instruments
of similar type, with dancing figures, have been adapted to
the penny-in-the-slot machines common in Switzerland to-day.
[139] _Marchand_, or retail merchant.
[140] Initials of the head of his firm, Benjamin Bakewell.
[141] The reference was to Mme. Stephanie-Felicité de Genlis
(1746-1830), teacher of the children of the Duke of Orleans,
Philippe-Egalité, and authoress of many works on education,
once popular, but now known only to the antiquary and the
ragman.
[142] Meaning possibly his prospective brother-in-law, Thomas
W. Bakewell, a fellow clerk in the office.
[143] One Louis was equal to twenty francs, or four dollars.
[144] Maria R. Audubon, _Audubon and his Journals_ (Bibl. No.
86), vol. i, p. 32.
[145] Especially his account current, from June 1, 1806, to
July 25, 1807, with the "Mill Grove" farm, and "John Audubon
of Nantz," drawn up and signed at Philadelphia on the latter
date. Dacosta then claimed a balance due him of $950.64 above
the returns from farm and mine, of which he was entitled to
one-half; this sum included his salary and numerous minor
expenditures. When his account was contested and taken out of
court for settlement, it was cut by the arbitrators to $530.
See Appendix I, Document 11a.
The following is a "copy of the Award given by John Laval &
Laurence Huron appointed referees by Francis Dacosta and John
Audubon the elder by a rule of reference in the Common Pleas
of this county to have their differences in accounts settled:"
"We the within named referees, having heard the
parties and examined their respective accounts
& vouchers, do award that there is due by the
defendant, John Audubon the elder, to the plaintiff,
Francis Dacosta, the sum of five hundred and thirty
dollars, which we find to be the full balance of all
current accounts between them, and we award that the
said ballance be paid by the said John Audubon the
elder to the said Francis Dacosta by defalking the
same from the account of the condition of the Bond
of Eight Hundred Dollars—mentioned in the within
rule of reference conformably to the agreement
endorsed on the said Bond."
"Witness our hands Philadelphia 1st August, 1807."
"Signed—JOHN LAVAL."
"LAURENCE HURON."
(Copy of original MS., in possession of Mr. Welton H. Rozier.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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