The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-01-31
vANDERBlLT'S FIRST BOAT.
Some Good Stories of the Founder Of the
Family of Millionaires.

Some Good Stories of the Founder Of the
Family of NIillionaires.
The reading given recently by Mrs.
Coventry Waddell at her Stuyvesa1t
Square home served to bring out many
interesting new anecdotes of Commo-
dore Vanderbilt. Mrs. Waddell's friend
ship with the founder of the Vanderbilt
family was lifelong and her recollcc-
tions of the great money-getter are of
nature to cast a strong light upon his
personality. The following story Illus
trative of his energy and push in early
youth was told.
1t is well-known fact that for years
Commodore Vanderbilt. sailed per
iauger" and in it took daily cargo of
green groceries to the New York mar
ket. The shrewd way in which he be-
came skipper of his first craft is thor
Oughly characteristic. 1t seems that at
the age of sixteen Nelly had devel-
oped strong affection for rowing, sail
ing and other water sports. An old
Staten Island fisherman had a sail-boat
which he offered to sell for 500, and
Nelly" thought that if he could only
become the owner of this particular boat
he would indeed be happy. He hadn't
the money, however. and as last re-
source, applied to his mother.
Nelly" she said, ''you see that
eignt-acre lot out there" pointing to an
unpromising-looking stony field.
Nelly" said he did. well. if Won
will pillow, harrow and seed that lot you
shall have the $780," Nelly" induced
several boys of the neighborhood by
promises of jolly excursions, to turn in
and help him. In week they had the
job done, and the SlOO was p;id over.
NELLY" then beat the owner OF the
boat down to S95, and purchased the
craft at that price. The Commodore to
the end of his days never ceased to re-
greet that on his first sail he broke hole
in the boats bottom that it cost SIS to re-
pair.
Mrs. Waddell once remarked to the
Commodore, II dare say, many wealthy
NEWCOMERS would be happy if they
had pockets in their shrouds. in which
they could carry to the next world the
wealth they accumulate in this"
''Ah. no." replied Mr.. Vanderbilt. "Ii
shrouds had pockets the strife aNd tur-
moil on Wall street would be increased
four-fold."
At one time. while living on Staten
Island, the Commodore had an exasper-
atingly balky horse. He never could be
sure that the brute wouldn't step in the
middle of the road, and he often walked
in 70 fol aha -,
the animal. One day he started out and
had driven only about half mile when
the beast came to dead halt. An en-
energetic belaboring. backing and saw
ing had no effect and the Commodore
turned around and went home He got
a bag OF lump-Sugar and again started
out. leading the horse and feeding him
a lump of sugar every few steps. This
he continued until the place where the
horse baked was passed. after which he
got in and had no difficulty in driving to
his journeys end. In telling the story
to Mrs Waddell. he said: Il have tried
the same course of procedure with wom-
en- and it has always proved effective."-
n. Y. Tribune.
in Glasgow. Scotland, there is a
cooking school that has $50 pupils, who
are the wives and daughters of working |
men, and they are trained in the art of |
cooking SO that they can prepare pleas
ing and nourishing meal for six persons |
at cost of twenty-four cents. A visi- |
tor says that among the articles that are |
provided for the tables are hotch-potch,
a broth with an abundance of minced |
vegetables; fish soup, made of a Gods
head and thickened with rice. onions
and potatoes; kidney and liver soup, sea-
pie and oat and wheaton cakes. The
variety of dishes are large. for each pupil |
is required to plan a series Of fourteen
dinners for family of six, 10 dinner to
exceed twenty-four cents in cost