Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-11-24

landlords advertised for tenants without
encumbrances. He was named Peter,
after the apostle, because his father be-
lieved he had been told to do so in
dream and he always said the boy
would amount to something some
day.
While his father was loyal and
gallant soldier of the War of Indepen-
dence he was poor business man. His
mother, however, had that which his
father lacked. Good Scotch blood
flowed in her veins, and a Moravian
education had developed and strength.
ened her moral nature. There was in
her character rare blending of sweet
ness and fire. of force and tenderness.
This Scotch shrewdness and womanly
sympathy were reproduced in her son.
W. E. Dodge could trace his lineage
back to the days of the puritans, the
American founder of the family being
one of the founders Of the colony of
Massachusetts,. His father was a sue
cessful merchant and manufacturer, a
man of stlong religious convictions, an
earnest and liberal member of the
Presbyterian church and his mother
was daughter of the Rev. Alexander
Cleveland, learned minister and the
ancestor of many distinguished men.
The early life of Mr.. Dodge was, there
fore, free from the privations which
poverty brings. Yet even he began
his business life under conditions many
young man would today reject. He
says, 81 had to 60 every morning to
Vandewater street for the keys of the
store as my employers must have them
in case of fire in the night. | used to be
up as soon as it was light and walk to
the store. had to sprinkle it with
water brought the evening before from
the old pump at the corner Of Peck
Slip and Pearl street, and then careful
ly sweep and dust it. Then came
sprinkling of the street and side walk,
and sweeping the dirt into heap in
the center to be carted away" How
many Of the young men today would
refuse such tasks as too menial! But,
} when we return to Peter Cooper, we
see one of the most superb specimens Of
selt-made men this country can boast.
His early years were full of hard
ships. His father had a faculty for
failure. He tried successive trades,
but in none did he even approach sue
cess As soon as he could do any work,
the boy Peter was employed in hi
fathers business of hat-making. H.
was deprived of all educational oppor.
tunities, having in all ais life only one
, year at school, and but half of each
day at that, At seventeen years o.
: age he engaged himself to firm O.
. carriage-makers, at the salary O
twenty-five dollars year and his boarC
t until he should be of age. During
q that time his inventive genius and bust
| ness aptitude so commended him t.
f his employers that at its expiration
: they offered to start him in business
! He declined the offer. He then wen
q to Hampstead and worked for TIVE
e years in a wooden factory. The frs
e money saved was spent in buying tn
e right of the State of New York for
s machine for shearing cloth. TIL
: making of these machices was success
e full, and when he possessed five hun
d bred dollars he felt as though his for
l. tune was made. But all his none,
G had to be used to pay his fathers debts
e and, with an almost empty pocket
e the young merchant started again
n These are but a few of the trials thi
n brave and kindly man met in his earl
If years. He deeply felt the lack {
e early educational advantages: and
% was the desire that some might, q
S, least, be saved from similar lack ths
y he projected and completed the crown
t, ing work of his life, Cooper Unior
lie He strove to make up the loss of earl
re years by intense application to stud
y and economy of every spare mOmen
d; While others were at play, or, wors
IL indulging in dissipation, he was readin
n. all he could buy or borrow. As q r