The Washington bee., 1893-06-24
HARD FIGHTS.
SECF-MADE MEN THE PRODUCT OF
HEROIC CHARACTER.

The Story of the Turning of Young Mans
Fortune-some True Instances of Adj
versities Which Were Kept Secret -
Pride Conceals Many Troubles.
There are few self f-made men, as they
| are called, who cannot toll of some
times when it was impossible for them
| to get dollar, and when they felt the
world was against them, and they were
justified in trying to get something for
nothing.
A New York man who has placed
himself far beyond the reach of want,
| and who hopes and believes that he will
never see the time when he cannot place
his hand on money whenever he needs
it, recently told story about the turn
ing of young mans fortune. He went
to Texas when he had saved a few hun
dred dollars, and tried to get rich. 1t
did not take him long to lose every
dollar that he had in the world. Things
went on from bad to worse with him,
until he was practically tramp, for he
trudged many weary mile, and worked
for his meals as he got them. He felt
that life was pretty hard, but he did
not doubt his ability to succeed in it.
1t was only question of time, with in
cidental hard knocks in that time. In
his struggle to get on his feet, he worked
his way northward as far as Arkansas.
Nothing which he tried seemed to be of
service to him. He was more than at
k1o ne H. 10 Il
perately hungry more than half the
time. In all that time he was too proud
to ask financial aid from his relations
and friends in the East. As he himself
confessed, he might have asked assist
ance from some one In the Southwest,
where he had no reputation; but he was
SO poor that no one would have trusted
him for a penny.
In his wanderings he reached the
Red River. Here he received written
offer of position in New York from
man who did not know of his adversity,
but who had known him long enough
to admire his character and supposed
ability. The young mamie was
college graduate, and had means all his
life until he tried Texas-accepted the
offer. Arkansas is long way from
New York when one has no money. He
worked his passage on q steamboat
down the Red River, and on another
boat up the Mississippi, and to Cincin-
natl. Here he earned a dollar and a
half, and took passage on another boat
up the Ohio, investing a dollar in
ticket for as long distance as it would
take him, for he was in no condition
now to do more work on a steamboat.
He stayed on the boat when it got past
the place called for on the ticket.
You may put me off, he said, when
they found him. Il am trying to get
East, and I haven't dollar" They
let him stay on the boat for some rea-
son. From Pittsburg he bought q
ticket as far as his last fifty cents
would take him. He did not get off at
that station. When they put him off
the train he walked ahead and climb
ed on the platform between two bag
gage-cars. He rode in that way all
night. His journey to New York would
make very distressing story.
The young man who beat Ibis way"
is the man who told the story. He
told it not in bitter, but in painful
way, and he found justification for
every ride that he stole and every meal
that he begged. There is something
heroic about such pride which makes
one applaud its acts despite himself.
In New York there is professional
man who makes handsome income.
Only three people in the world know
that for months after he came to New
York he literally starved himself, eat
ing sometimes for days in succession
only bread, or bread and oatmeal, that
he might contribute to the support of
some of his people in little New Eng
land village. He has lied repeatedly |
about his early experiences, in fear of |
the pain it would cause those people to |
know of his sccrifces for them.
A young man who made an unhap-
py marriage and was divorced was for |
many years mystery to his creditors,
because he did not pay his debts, |
though he worked hard day and night. |
His reputation in that time suffered |
terribly, and he lost caste with many |
people who had formerly admired him.
When the woman from whom he had |
been divorced died some time later |
from an excruciatingly painful disease, |
he began to pay his debts. There are
exceedingly few people who know that
all the money which be could earn he |
gave to make her life less miserable.