The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1869-10-15
ALEXANDER T. STEWART

the great Dry Goods King, from which
we take the following interesting ex
tract :. X. ~ =. { :, - Z -
[Mr. STEWART is i'll his 9th ycar]
ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK AND EARLY
LIFE HERE.
Mr.. Stewart was scarcely ,sixtcr n
when hc came to this city. lie came
not as fortune huntcr. No CLEAN o.
his future career entered his mind
The idea of becoming n merchant
was fatcst from his conception. lie
had no distinctive aim. With a MIND
maturcd beyond his years he studied
men and things and customs in this
new and strange world to him with
the cagor zcst of youth, no doubt, but
his main thoughts ccntcred in his
books These wore his diyinitics
His lifo purpose centored here, 4
scholarly ambition was his only aim.
His life ut this time was very pleas,
ant one. Ills utter freedom from care
and the Joyous aband2n with which he
could devote himself to his favorite
textbooks and authors made it go.
His strong, social nature, always q
marked characteristic Of him. harpily-
through letters Of introduction to
some OF our leading citizens, found
abundant opportunities for culture
and enjoyment. From the first lie
found admission to our most aristo-
cratic families, and which afterwards
proved so advantageous to him in his
| business. lie lived this easy desulto-
rs and yet very pleasant life for sew
cral years. In this time .hc only la
Dor he performcd-if it may he called
labor, for he did it con amore and with
out mpcnsation-was temporarily
taking the place Of 4 young man rs
teacher in Il school ut No. !, Roosc-
.vclt-strcct: on account of1hc lattcr's
sickness. This young man died, and
hccontinucd to I'LL his place several
months, instilling with scdulous care
and skill: knowledge into the minds OF
the rising generation, but still not for
compensation. 1t sa pity to controvcrt
the published stories Of bis early strue-
giles here, the painful humiliations Of
poverty he is said to have undergone,
and his final compulsory taking up with
school teaching to keep. himself from
starvation. After picturing him boldly
6ui1etng his wildly raging sea Of ,rou-
bic, the biographical fashion has been
to show how by molly opposing the
tumuituous tide Of threatening waves
he was magnificcntly triumphant.
at last. This is the regular dramatic
order. and reads better and is more
culogistic Of its subject. The order OF
our narrative is the plain order OF
facts. Mr.. Stewart never su ffcrcd any
early privations. Uo never had to
struggle for bread. Ie did not 90
about with inquisitivc gaze looking for
some opening path to fortune. lie
had enough to live on, and took mat
tcrs easy. AS some men have great
ness thrust upon them, so his going
into business was fairly thrust upon
him, a fact that will be developed as
our narrative progresses. Wo- have
dwelt longer than we intended upon
the carly life Of Mr.. Stewart. The
fact is no correct account of this pep
iod Of his life has ever been given.
The authenticity Of our statements
makes them reliable, and the knowl-
edge Of this fact we know will make
t! them doubly interesting to the pub
RETURNS TO IRELAND For HIS PATRI-
MoNY, AND HOW lie INVESTED 1t.
Having attained his majority, MI.
Stewart mado preparations to return
to Ireland to- receive his patrimonv,
npon the interest Of which he had
ucen living.
"llow much is your patrimony ."
asked Mr.: Chambers, gentleman
then wcll-llnown as q buyer 1T auc
tions for several business firms, and
to whom he had stated his intended
return TO Ireland and the object Of his
going.
"-About $4,000, I suppose" said Mr..
Stewart.
ga. snug little sum. What do YOU
propose doing with it ?"
"Rcinvcst here and live on the in
come"
"You can do better." ....
elbow ?"
"Go into trade"
"Nonsensc 1 know nothing about
trade. l have a horror Of trade. l
can't buy a hat or pair of gloves
without getting some one to pick them
out for me-"
"Stutf," calculated Mr.. Chambers.
impatiently. "Do rs I tell you. Go
to Belfast, buy insertions and scallon
trimmings. Spend all your money in n
them, and you'll double your money"
"lf [ ever buy these goods" said
Mr.. Stewart, 7"you shall have all the
profits" ~ -;
l. Mr.. Stewart went. to Ireland. 1t
was forty days voyage. There was
only one cabin passenger beside him
self, and on the fare Of dry biscuits
and musty bread they liked to have
starved: But at length tho voyage
ended, he reached his native town.
saw his guardian and received his pa.
trimony: 1t was only $4,000, halftbe
expected. sum. The guardian. as
guardians are given to do in these
days, had speculated on. his wards
1 money and lost. He went to Belfast.
Passing through High-strect, he re.
called his conversation with Mr.
Chambers. It occurred to him thai
he had not the remotest idea what
either insertions or scallop trimmifas
were. Seeing small store and q
woman bohind the counter he weni
in.
"Do you keep insertioas 7" ne