The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-06-19
From Poverty to Fortune.

From Poverty to Fortune.
Twenty years ago poor young man was
walking the streets of Philadelphia looking
for work. His clothes were shabby, his
hands were blue with the cold, and his
gaunt face showed that square meals were
not intimate friends of his. One morning
he awOke and thought over the years of toll
and picayune recOmpenSe that had been his,
and he resolved then and there to make for
the West. He did so, and finally reached
the Pacific Coast, where he now resides.
He found that work out there was if any
thing harder than in the East, but wages
and opportunities were far greater. He
came to Philadelphia last week for the first
time in quarter of century, but instead
of coming in on foot. as he left the city, he
rushed along in Pullman car. He is j.
B. Wordsworth, and last night he stood in
the Lafayette corridor, talking with Colonel
| Baker, of changes that have occurred since
| he went West.
81 found work." said Mr. Wordsworth,
| ''at carrying a bod in Frisco, and l tell
you, l worked hard too. One night l was
sitting on barrel near the buildings on
which was working, when an old gentle
man came along on foot. He turned the
corner, and inside OF two minutes l heard a
feeble cry for help. grabbed hod-h handle
that happened to be near on the ground,
and. darting around the corner, saw the old
man struggling with two whyos. l yelled
as if ten men were at my back. Come on,
boys! Well lay 'em outn And of course
they dropped the old man and ran for their
lives. The gentleman wasn't hurt much,
but had lost his watch and Shrt-Stud He
gave me his card and told me to call on him
the next day. Of course did So and we
talked about my former life, and l told him
how l wanted to succeed, and was bound
to be at the top of the heap some day.
II was young, then," continued Mr..
Wordsworth, with quiet smile, ''but my
boyish talk seemed to tickle the old chap.
He lent me some money, gave me lots of
good advice, and this card,' he added, TAX
ing from wallet yellow piece of paste
board. And | tell you, sir, that card did
me more good than anything else. The old
man afterwards gave me good place, and
from there L got on rapidly. But lots and
lots OF times when was discouraged and
homesick just pulled out this card and
read it,"
Mr.. Wordsworth handed the card to
| Colonel Baker, who read on it:
Columbus was the of a weaver, and a
weaver himself. Cervantes was common older.
| Homer was the son of a small farmer. Demos
| themes was the son of a cutler. oliver Cromwell
was the son of London brewer. Franklin was
| jOurneyman printer, the son of tallow chandler
and soap boiler. Daniel Detoe was hostler.
Cardinal Wolsey was the son of a butcher. Virgls
| father was porter. Shakespeare was the son of
| wool stapler. Milton was the of a money
| scrivener. Mohammed driver of asses.
Napoleon, a descendant of obscure family of
| Corsica, was Major when he married Josephine,
| daughter of tobaccOnist Creole in Martinique.
John Jacob Astor once sold apples in the streets
| of New York. Catherine, Empress of Russia,
camp grisette. Madame Bernadotte was wash
| erwoman in Paris Horace the of a shop
| keeper.
| Colonel Baker handed the card back to
Mr.. Wordsworth. who placed it in his wal
let, and patting it, said: ''That card is re-
sponsible for what success | have gained"
Philadelphia Press.