The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-20

LILH Sd EEI.
the EARLY LIFE Or JAY COOKE.
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9fuM cea34o1eEIe y Tk ElMA
Say Ossks Asnas - sshsss-Hb Tasss ssr
Ftxurss anA PrsGsssssy Thsssan-Lsve ~
AasIsns-Hzs ylsss nnsrsses Isss PhilaAei-
Saia- sAsrs nay and Rssars Hsss-Hs
ESSAYS secesd Visit - - Invifatiss = .
Leading Daaksr-Csnaesesas Therc-
erea q His Hinazcial Carees-Bslef Sketch
- His Drsshsrs-Tho nGlsrepressneaeisa II
Say Cooke and she Usjsss Rrs0ul1sss Againss
Hin Exa.sued-His Rspssasass - . Daskes
asd Hsw He Made Hi Msusy-His CAarso-
Ger Ter Bessvelencs, &c.
eAsDusKr. Ohio, New. is. 1867.
Resuming the narrative Of Jay Cookies early
career, No find him. after retaining from St.
Louis q tho age II aftsen. attending assiduously
to schesl, and seeking to acquire proficiency in
those branches Of educstion which he found By
few yssrs' appearance were most needful In the
practical business relations Of life. The school
was enc Of much excellence for Western village
70 possess, and d looked back 70 by those who
wsrc it puerils patrons With sentiment Of
grateful recollection. In tho comparatively
primitive limo when = existed, the aim OF
education WAS, Of - simple and prac-
tcal character. Reading. writing and arith.
motto constituted the leading branches Of study
to which the mind Of the rising generation
was directed. Il has been already mentioned that
arithmetic. or figures m my form, possessed Pc
cular charm for the intellect Of young Cooke.
Various anecdotes are told Of hin skin. net only in
enumeration, but IN working out those complex
problems in compound interest and decimal frsc.
tons which, to the fancy Of most boys, are bore
and even terror. wv $3.50. 800. 8
i The teacher on ono occasion submitted 70 the
class problem for solution which none Of the pu-
pils could grappls with successfully. He pro.
cssdsd with piccs Of chalk 70 demonstrate the
way Of solving the dnioulty. and was doing SO for
awhile In . satisfactory manner, when suddenly he
found himself involved in certain premises that
inevitably led to . wrong conclusion. In the
meantime II was observed that young Cooke had
been all along studying the sum proposed and
watching the tescher's process Of explaining II
with intense interest. When the latter discovered
himself In state OF sinextriesbls embsrr assment
the embryo iuancier had inst worked out mem
tally the correct rendering. and, with =
hush Of triumph, relieved his perplexed
preceptor from the dilemma in which
he was placed by pointing out where the error In
computation lay. Tllenceforth both teacher and
pupils came TO entertain higher regard for the
calculating fertN Of young Cooke. and were pre-.
pared 70 zee him eclipse them all In arithmetical
skili and proheisncy. In this expectation they
experienced no disappointment, ~ he gave each
day higher proof q that particular order "
monetary world to-day. Fat this time his father,
Mr.. EAentheros Cooke. was . prominent and iI-
nuential Ipember u Congress, and wnile 1t home
from his legislative duties took greet palma " cu-
tvats IN hs sous taste for solid and sensible read
Ing. He had no difficulty in influencing their men
tai habits in this direction, for they were naturally
stndsUun, tloughtful aud retiring. The only pas
time in which Jay was noted tor taking delIght
wAs hshing. aud VI the piscstory art be has all Ills
life been An ENTHUSIASTIC follower. When not oc.
cupied with his studies he loved 70 steal away By
the take shore with rudely fashioned rod ana line,
and stay tor hours alone angling for bass, pike
p'ckersl. When boat was available Ae WA
scctstomedss with ons or 1.-TWO companions,
" hoist sail. and rove away among the numerous
islsnds lake outside the bay. Or these there
- one called Gibraltar, Lelind whi0n Perry, on
the eve Of battle. awaited the approach o The
Br1tssh fleet. II might have been dream Of the
Juveuiis anglers when hshing among the rocks 81
tnls picturesque isiets that one day he should
come " claim II - ali his own from shore "
hss been amply realized, Tor he can cisim not
alone the isls itssh, but within its hunts regal
summer residence, with iss casteIated tower over
lOokinx the land and was<r Al around. But he
sIiu preserves the old taste for angling and IN
storni 81 sunshine Jay Cooke, ths 6nsacisr aud
vliipUsairo, during four or i've weeks a. the sum.
lDer he spends here, leaves his su,npsueus dwe-
ling, overlooking with vistors-g generally nlinis-
luxury u vacation clsewAere--And starts out In
the morning carly, with his rod and line OF yore,
and 70 the old favorite hooks among tho ciifis,
where ~ boy in other days We played the angler
hsh would one day cosno ~ his net.
When Jay was IN hls hfter nah year his brother
in-Iaw, ~. William y. A00rhead, then largely inter-
Gated In canal and railroad enterprises. aud re-
siding in Pniladelphis, paid sre;urn VISIT TO san
dusNy, where he had loruIerly resided. He wxs
truck BY the proficiency and completeness Jay
exhibited IN those branches of educatsoa adapted
~ mercantile pursuits, and invited hlia " become
. bookkceper in his office. The Invitation Was
embraced, and this marks Jay Cookies first &C.
quslntsnce with Pniladeiphis. Mr.. k0eshesd had
several associates With him in his busD<ss, upon
whom the stranger IN short tinie made very
favorable impresAon. la those days tbs Influx Of
young men from The country, especially from the
Far West 70 the large Eastern cities was GOT near
% great - now, and those who showed any un.
common traits Of character became soon known
and had their merit canvassed. In mis- sphere
the subject Of this sketch addressed himself ~ the
task ~ sustaining his reputation for energy in
tegrty and mAnlineeSs Tor ne MAS astute enough 10
know that such qualities make . more lasting and
tHvsraDle impression among business men than
the most brilliant accomplishments, and ~
tho sequel SHOWS he waA correct In
his calculation. Acer spending nearly year n
Philadelphia, where he learned 9 good deal about
the nature VI stocks and finance, his brether-in-
laws concern was dissolved, Mr.. Aoorhsad 90.
cepting the government post Of consul 70 vslps-
ralso. Jay rsturned " hs home In Sandusky, and
was again fairly started in his studlcs when mis-
father received . Ietter rom Mr.. 4. w. Clark, OF
tine leading banking hxm Of Il. W. Clark 4 Co., OF
Philadelphia, asking permission 70 take Jay, whose
character he had heard spoken of very oommends-
bly,, into his establishment, and AFFORD hun that
thorough knowledge OF banking. This oder sas
wholly unexpected on The part Of The youth or Of
his friends, and though his father. who was then
in Independents circumstances, might have felt
little reluctant at rst to part with his son. he saw