Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-06-28
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
BY HELEN HARGROvE.

Mrs. P f. Nicholson ("Pearl Riv-
ers"). proprietor of the New Orleans
Pjcdyatne, 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 Ptcdy1t4le 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 over the world,
and has made a magnificent fortune
out of it. She has, amid all her bust
ness perplexities, kept her pen steadi-
ly employed
Mrs Frank Leslie was, like Mrs.
Nicholson, New Orleans girl. 1t is
singular that New Orleans furnished
the world the only two noted women
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 English 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 anderbilt,
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 X.
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 Dutch Knickerbockers,
started as dealer in pelts and hides
He first began to trap the animals him
self, and then established a regular
depot and traded for them in New
York.
Henry Clay was a mill boy in his
youth, and used to study while wait
ing for his grist to be ground, as he
had no time to study on the farm.
Horace Greeley was 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 canal. He studied in the odd
hours, and then became school
teacher. From the school-house he
entered the legal profession. No ca
reer is more encouraging and fuller. of
lessons to the youth of this age than
that of James Abram Garfield. The
rise of the canal boy was more wonder
full than that of the story of Whiting
ton and his famous cat. Garfield did
not even have cat to start out with,
as did the historical Lord Mayor of
London.
Bret Harte was printer and set up
his first stories from his head as he
went along setting type on Pacific
Slope paper.
Whitelaw Ried, editor and proprie-
tor Of the New York Tribune, and who
stepped into the shoes of the late
lamented Horace Greeley, was a poor
school teacher in Ohio when he be-
came a correspondent for Mr. Greeley.
He happened to please the noted
editor, who made him a fayorite and
advanced him rapidly.
Mark Twain Samuel L. Clemens
was pilot on the Mississippi River fol
two or three years. But Mark was too
lazy to be good pilot, and he drifted
out West and became a miner first.
then a reporter. He learned the
printers trade in his youth in his ma
tive town, Hannibal, Mo.