The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-23
Ghe Aurfulk gost.
FRIDAY. MARCH %. 1865.
QUALITIES THAT COMMAND
.,3s.. SUCCESS. o
JAMES M. BEEBE.

the Autograph is worth fortune to him
who hslds II. 1t Is announced that the
owner of the name IL about to retire
from business, He must submit to the
penalty which his reputation as ricn
man imposes, and consent to have few
words said about his business career, oe-
! cause reflections can be drawn from u,
b hat Win serve rs lessons In industry,
perseverance,, method, and correct per
sonal habits, to the young men VINO ~
about entering into, or are preparing lot
q mercantile life.
| Mr.. Beebe came to Boston some for!y
years ago, from his orphan home In
Pittsfeld-a lad. with no connections;
no means, no references--his sole capita,
consisting of light heart, . determined
| spirit. and a scanty wardrobe. But lads
| like him know no such word as fall. we
| do not know what the limit of his outh.
| full ambition was, whether he looked
upon the rich men of that day and de.
| termined to become ~ they were, and
much more abundant. But we canre adj
| ly believe that his Imagination, like q
skillful architect, had already construct.
ed glorious castles, even before he found
employment. 1t IL q question, however,
| whether the romance of his bOyish hopes
ever extended to the bright reality he to-
day enjoys, of being the leading mer-
chant In his line In the city Of his adop-
ton, with q fortune to leah upon that
seems almost like the accumulations OF
some genii in Oriental story.
We are unable to state where Mr.
Beebe was first employed, or how long
his apprenticeship, II he served any,
lasted. We first find him in business
for himself In small retail dry goods
store on Hanover street, near the bridge
that crossed the 'creek" which then
flowed through the city from near
Warren bridge, emptying itself near the
head of Commercial street. There Mr..
Beebe laid the foundations of his pros
porous fortunes; here he began q career
which has led him up TO the foremost
mercantile positions in New England.
1t would be curious to know precisely
what visions, II any, rose before the
mind of the young tradesman as he
stood behind his unpretending counter,
l patiently measuring out six cent cotton,
cutting patterns of ninepenny calicoes,
selling paper of pins here and a piece
Of tape there. 1t surely was modest
and unpretending beginning. Others
who began with him have long since
ceased to be known In business affairs
L q few have succeeded to moderate for
tunes, but the majority-where are they
In q speech of General III. A. 8. Dear
: born, some years ago, he made the re,
mark that ninety.fOur of every hundred
. who engaged in business were unsuc-
! cessful, and either became bankrupt OF
I failed to secure anything more than a
. vexed and troublesome livelihood. The
: remark was controverted, but statistics
were produced to prove its truth. The
, suggestion of the'General opens an in
) quiry that may be followed up even In
q these days with profit. Fortunes Of q
! colossal size have been made in day
= as it were, and many men who at thu
. commencement OF the present decade
were very poor, are now among the very
wealthy. But, then, while cases of THU
kind exist, there are thousands and ten
of thousands who, fastening to be rich
have gone down hopelessly into the gul
of bankruptcy.
-. haberdasher of Hanover street showe'
.. forth those qualities which command
& success and are sure to win 1t. He wa
patient, industrious, persevering, mind
hui of small things as we'll as those o
greater appearance, prompt with hi
X customers, punctual with those frOn
h whom he procured his supplies; who's
a word was Us good "a his bond, and who's
q promises even in the most trivial mai
VI tiers were redeemed at the moment the
were due and in the precise manner /
\ which they were given. These are th
elements that 90 TO make up success!
ur full man in any walk of life they al
I'd particularly needful TO establish chara'
~ ter on an enduring basis in nercantil
q, walks. Taken together they form wha
e. the Son of Sirach calls diligence in bus
II ness: "Seest thou man diligent
business? He shall stand before kings
he shall not stand before mean men.
Pursuing steadily the purposes he ha
formed Of rising in business life, M
Beebe, while he discharged the duties
n his citizenship, never became mixed
!" in party politics; never manifested an
m. ambition to stand as political leade
tut never had any time to bestow upon ma
III aging political campaigns, and the on
NE political Office we at present know OF h
for having filled Ia that Of member of Il
ion Constitutional Convention of 1853.
N, To lay foundations deep aud strong
il the main thing. Here in the little she
've on Hanover street, the future millionai
became the architect of his own forum
!. Looking back upon his career it W
not do to say that he was lucky; or tn
cb. he was "born with silver spoon in
Of MOUTH The upright merchant W
- retires after years of toll with the fru
nth of his diligence, is lucky rs Newt
pm: was, as Napoleon was, as Shakespes
red was, as all are who would reap succ'
from their exertions, whis is, as one
,dia the old poets has said of poetry, 1T
hii mellow fruit of toll intense"
tst 1t is generally estimated that n
Beebe retires with a fortune of rati
an more than four millions of dollars. I
r rrcS to hint anything on that score Is tren,
ing, perhaps, on forbidden ground,
ne'r asmuch as, not very long ago. Gus
dian of large fortune seemed to thi
itan impertinence for a newspaper to
anything more than to look upon r
men with silent reverence and a.
Retired men OF wealth like him
ID on cazed after with longing eyes; his
tuns,will continue to be discussed, a
,.r,. whether vulgar or not, we will wag,
and three cent piece that more is and will
said about 1t In Beacon street and c,
monwealth avenue circles than In
pretentious quarters, and that the al
ton, "what will he do with it ?"
be oftener asked there than elsewh
No doubt the possessor of MILL
will find enough to do with it.
may become, by judicious donati,
the benefactor of the poor all al
him; he may, by his sagacious beI
ence, build for himself monument
ten thousand grateful hearts. Like ]
n II H. Il n