New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-13
TUE LOSS OF THE ARCTIC.
PERSONAL MEMORANDA.

Abstraction OF the Arctc, rev are more "Ioeiy A""""
nsp that which b imprinted with 30 much vividness
mon my. own mind, and upon the memory OF hundreds
Of thousands in this country. MAHLoS DAY, Tor
many years the only publisher Of childrens books IN
The United States. whose name is known in every
corner Of the land whose toybooks and schoo-books
have posed through many editions-the houorci
and honorabIethe faithful and excellent father, the
careful and prudent Of business, the friend and
neutrality-suspicious. DAY-seeps in the silent
bed ofthe stormy sea.
Mr.. Day native Of New-Jersey, and served
his apprenticeship TO the printing business at Morris
town, which place he left some time before the last
war and came to this City.
NY acquaintance with Mr.. Day commenced in No
vember, le93, when entered upon an apprenticeship
to the "art prservatve VI all arts 10 his office, and
during several years had an opportunity Of learning
something Of his character and habits. He had just
completed the large building, No. 374 Pearst., and
every thing was and clean, and his " thee and
"thou," were very pleasing 10 my esrs as he ad-
dressed me in cordially and friendship. Az was
sweeping down the stairs The first morning Of my new
brooushp be came up and said We'll, Billy, is
"thee going 10 let make printer Of thee " Yes,
"Sir, III try" "Well, we will do our part and thee
~Dust do thine"
Following him up the stairs with the broom in my
hand, cav him stoop and pick up piece of coal
which bad been dropped on the way. This he carried
Up to the printing Office in the fifth story, and threw
into the coal scuttle. We'll, thought to myself,
rieh man like hun picking up piece Of coal! But
my thoughts carried further into the reasons for
40 doing and how he came 10 be rich-and quietly
concluded that it was by such economy and prudence
carried out ia little things that be had boon able 10
pay for 30 large and substantial bulldog.
Some tine afterwerd paying me ny first cover
"woTk," money, IA be handed IL TO me, he said,
"BiIy, tn ,ts much more money than had when |
came to Eew-Yofk. After ] WAS out of my time
came here with one dollar in my pocket and got
place at 80 week, which held all during tho war,
and that was a good business at that time, when
specie was 30 bard to get After having worked
,eyeral years and saving what could, | opened
little store shd prntil office, next door, mo $40
Pearls I end we all worked as well rs Se could to
get sloDl. / had a case in the store on the END OF
the counter at the window, and there c0nd set
type and be ready to wait on my customers. iHaDE
IT A RULE TO BuY AS FAST AS I COULD PAY FOR. Nov
thee bees what I've cone Whit docs ihee thnK OF
tf" In such friendly and familiar chatting ne occa-
sior ally gave me fragments of his history, from
which learned leeeon not less practical than tnat
of picking up the piece OF coal
The short frame or "stand" which he used in the
store was sfierward raised on stlts, and made hugh
ofic. Of JAMES EGBERT, who Continues the business
1t was this carefnlness of little things, and pru-
deDce and caution in the manage ment OF MS aftirs
which gave MabloD Day his position as = man OF
business and OF weelth He carried IT. though not to
an extreme by any means, sometimes further than
suited my taste but could not help admring the
name, 10 which it was sometimes manifested:
Mr.. Day was not man OF profuse and Ddiserim-
nate " bsDevOleDce' and alms-giyiDg. HIS economy
was tempered by a careful obedieUce to the rule
"Waste not, want not. Aud his benevolence was
governed BY regard for the interests OF those who
should receive his bounty His efforts were OF the
quiet and uDosiebtatious kind, and should not be
surprised TO know that the amount OF bis benefactons
ba0 been very arge but untrumpeted. One instance
Iremember which is very strongly impressed on my
mind Being one day in the bookstore ON an eirand
from the sfiee an old sailor in, aud telling
story Of misfortune, MIR. Day said TO HIM, "Well,
"suppose the old sailor must have something. But
seeing that he was able TO do some kiad OF work he
turned round TO one Of his clerks and said jimmy,
Hhas thee got any little job for him There, let him
"carry that box up stairs The box was just as
well in its place, but tie clerk and the sailor gotrt
up on the next story between them, Jimmy all tue
while smiling he carried the most of the load
When they came down Mr. Day said, Give h.m
"qusrtsr Jimmy" and to the sailor Now wish
"tbee prosperity; il thee can get enough OF work at
"the same pay the'll do we'll Ii readers cannot see
the force Of the principle involved in this incident
shall not try to make II clearer than II Is. Ii Will
never be lost in my ewn mind.
Mr. Day possessed of great eguanimlty AMI
cooh ess. He had acquired great self-controi and
do not reconect that he spoke hasty word 10 all my
il tercourse with him on any occasion: One day
wh,n work was in great hurry, a form Of type oil
The Bank Note List fell into p in the act OF pattng
Il ON the press MIR. Day had been anXiously wait
ing for copies of the paper but seeing the misfortune
he walked several times up ana down inc once turn
cd round and said to the foreman, james, do tiny
beet 10 get this mp agaiu, and went down stars
The Bank Note Last and Counterfeit Detector, was
the first publication OF the kind in the country and
wss started in 1919, the first issues being single oc-
tayo page ouly about the size OF ordinary hand
bin. Until 1887 or 1885, Days Bank Note LIST" was
the standard authority that department OF journal
ism. About 81 or '3S, wi en- he vas making arrange
nents to retire from active business two or three n
val publications started, after which, Mr. Days
List was transferred TO ether parties.
The reaoers of this country of the middle age are US
well acquainted with the pane Of MAHLos DAY, ~
tbe present juveniles with Peter Parley. Tie was
not an author but had pure and correct taste "a 10
the kind of writing bes; suited to interest and attract
while Il also instructed the minds Of the young. All
his books are of the highest moral tone aud were
universally popular for period of twenty years.
Mr.. Day was. as may be Inferred from hs equa-
niny OF strictly temperate habits. Regular ia his
business industrious both by habit and for the sake
of example to those in his employ quiet and sober In
his judr ment ano a careful adviser
During a time when temperance, anti slavery,
Texas colonization &c were just agitating the pub
lie mind, the clerks and apprentices disposed to
talk and discuss more han he liked On one occa-
sion he copied upon slip Of paper, Thessaonians
w., ll-"Apd that ye study TO be quiet, and u do
"your own busnsss." This he pinned Inside the
money drawer where il was the first thing that met
the eye. My attention was soon called TO il by ooe
of the clerks, and the circumstan ,es clearly
"pripted on my memory, even il il has no. always
been allowed to have its full weight in practice.
Mr.. Day married an English lady, and it to give
her the opportunity OF once more seeing her frenis
and Der naive place that he consented to forego the
Measures Of home and trust himself to the dangers of
The sea. He decided 10 60, but with many app chen.
sioDs and fears lest he should never return. Some