The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-03-07
SIRE sowED FOR SON.
TWO MEN WHO FOUNDED ARIs-
TOCRATiC FAMILIES.
How Old George Law Toiled 10 Beneft HIS
Descendants and John Jacob Astor
Lived In . IIovsb and Gave
q others o Pala~

specimen of mankind, utterly without
early advantages. dependent literally
and absolutely upon his own head and
lands. His life has been told thou
sand times as a text for the youth OF
the world, says n New York letter
writer in the Chicago Herald. and an
incentive to poverty-stricken boys
who begin life far beneath the lowest
round OF the ladder. He died good
many years ago. but when / was quite
a boy 1t was my privilege to see him a
number of times, and to admire him
very much. Relatives OF mine were
connected with the early steamship
lines between this city and San Fran
cisco. by tho way OF Chagres and
and Panama. and Saturday afternoons
when we had no school. used to go
down town to the steamship Office, and
frequently had occasion to 60 with
clerks and others TO George Laws
Office. Law was very bluff, outspoken.
autocratic. 1t was necessary In
his business that he should have those
qualities which in private life are not
desirable, and yet he was very kind in
his bearing and speech TO clerks and
young people. The steamships often
brought bananas and oranges from
Chagres and Havana On one occa-
sion l went to Mr.. Laws Office on
some errand and found him in a tow
ering passion. He was walking up
and down his room in a great rage.
His huge head was as red as beet
and the hair. which curled over the
scalp. seemed fairly to hustle with the
electricity of indignation. never
shall forget his taking turn at the
end of the room, where, on a table.
were two or three punches OF bananas.
one OF which he grasped in his hand
and swung high in the air, as one
might swing club. and sling 1t across
the room. knocking over two chairs
and moving a heavy table at least four
feet from its position.
His early life was spent in earnest
industry. marred only by his fizzle in
the realm Of politics; and his latest
life was devoted to vast enterprises
many OF which were successful, and all
OF which were based on a true regard
for the advancement OF industries and
the proper outworking OF the energies
of this great country to whose prosper
ity he was as devoted as it Is possible
for the most affectiouate child to be to
that OF his parent
The original George Law would as
soon have thought Of painting his trous-
ers red, white and blue and climbing a
pole in the center OF City Hall park as
to drive through Broadway in the
crowded hours of the day in an equi-
page such as his son was in yesterday.
Not that the old gentleman didn't
know what n good horse was; not that
he didn't live IA very different existence
in the latter days OF his life from that
Of his years OF struggle and poverty.
but he was in no sense fond OF the
glitter and sheen OF metropolitan show.
There probably never was poorer.
more ignorant man than the original
John Jocob Aston. His early strug-
giles in this city, although not familiar
to the general public, are suggestively
known to the intelligent reader. He
began in the humblest possible way.
not rs laborer. not as a clerk. not
even as book canvasser, but as
peddler. going from house to house
with knicknacks OF various nature.
His admirable system OF saving and
investing in real estate. as soon rs he
got anything TO invest. when land was
had for almost nothing, made him, in
the course OF half century or SO, a
very rich man. so far as land was con-
cerned. although he didn't handle very
much absolute money himself. The
habit OF his mind led him to keep
everything he got.
The original John Jacob Astor may
have had, at some time or another. n
carriage, but / never heard that he
did. 1t would have been contrary to
the habit OF his life to spend dollar
for personal comfort or ease. while a
cent devoted to the procurement OF
any kind OF luxury would have been
waste so grievous as to cause tears OF
bitter regret to fall down his bronzed
cheek. Now, mind you, the late John
Jacob Aston was a very nice man.
There was nothing special about him,
one way or another, except his wealth.
don't mean to say that he led in any
sense a shoddy life. On the contrary,
his entire course was that OF a plain,
practical methodical man OF business.
The contrast nevertheless. between
the late John Jacob Astor and the John
Jacob Aston who peddled knickk nacks
about Beaver, Wall and William
streets is so tremendous that no mere
word painting could presume to pre-
sent its picture. The one lived in
howell, the other In palace. The one
fed on crusts, the other one on the
best the market affords. The one was
looked upon with suspicion as
misery old grub, the other was re-
garded as the great landlord OF the
Il Il