Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-04
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
BY HELEN

BY HELEN HARGROvE.
Mrs. P. E. Nicholson ("Pearl Riv-
ers"), proprietor OF the New Orleans
Picayune, and a well-known poetess
and writer of charming stories for
children, began as a contributor to the
country papers of Mississippi, and then
was sought for by larger papers. She
took the Picayatne when it was run
ming down and getting deeper in debt
with every issue. BY her superior
management and skill she paid Off all
indebtedness, and has made that we'll
known daily quoted all V c the world,
and has made a magnificent fortune
out of it. She has, amid all her bust
s ~perplexities, kept her pen steadi-
ly employed
Mrs. Frank Leslie was, like Mrs.
Nicholson, a New Orleans girl. 1t is
singular that New Orleans furnished
the world the only two noted wonlen
journalists, both OF whom took great
papers when they were bankrupt, and
made them pay out OF debt and become
sources of wealth. Mrs. Frank Leslie
began writing short stories for Frank
Leslie's periodicals, and her remarka-
bly, clear style, pure Ensli.h and
originality attracted Mr.. Leslie's at
tention. When he visited New Orleans
he hunted up the talented girl, be-
came charmed with her, and then fell
in love with and married her.
The founder Of the Vanderbilt house,
old Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt,
was an oyster and fish peddler OF New
York. He owned his. own boats, and
found he could make money by carry
ing local freight as he was sailing back
and forth with his fish and oysters.
This led him to go into the water-carry-
ing trade, In which he made his first
great fortune. His sons, William i.
and Cornelius, both good business men,
added to the immense fortune they
inherited.
Jay Gould started by peddling a
mouse-trap, the patent of which he
bought, and made considerable money
out OF it. From that speculation he
has had plane sailing.
The original John Jacob Astor, one
of the Old Dstch Knickerbockers,
started as Il dealer in pelts and hides.
He first began to trap the animals him
self. and then established Il regular
depot and traded for them in New
York.
Henry Clay was a mill boy in lis
youth, and used 10 study while wait
ing for his grist to be ground, as he
had NJ time to study on the farm.
Horace Greeley was a New England
farm boy who resolved to seek his for
tune in the city. He founded the New
York Tribune, and made both fame
and fortune. He has left the STAMP
of his intelligence and purpose on the
American people more than has any
other man who accomplished all he
did outside Of any public Office.
Garfield began as driver OF mules
on a canal. He studied in the ode
hours. and then became a schoo
teacher. From the school-honse h,
entered the legal professions. No ca
reer is o encouraging and fuller o
lessons to the youth of this age tina,
that of James Abram Garfield. TIL,
rise OF the canal boy was more wonder
full than that Of the story of Whiting
ton and his famous cat. Garfield die
not vel have a cat to start out with
as did the historical Lord Mayor o
London.
Bret iiarte was q printer and set M
his first stories from his head as ht
went along setting tyre on . pacii,
Slope PAPER.
Whitelaw Ried, editor and proprie
tor of the New York Tribune, and wh,
stepped into the shoes of the lat,
lamented Horace Greeley. was a poo
school teacher in Ohio when he be
came a correspondent for Mr.. Greeley
He happened TO please the notice
editor, who made him a favori5e an,
advanced him rapidly.
Mark Twain Samuel L. Clemens
was pilot on the Mississippi River 70
two or three years. But Mark was to
lazy to be a good pilot, and he drifte,
out West and became a miner first
then a reporter. He learned tn
printers trade in his youth in his IA
tive town, Hannibal. Mo.