The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-04-14
ss1'he Poorest Man. >
Multi : Millionaire John D.
Rockefeller Says it is he
Who has Nothing but
Money.
From tie New York Herald.

,
money-uo,hing else in the world but
money-ooly money"
It was man with iron bair aud an
iron gray mustacbe who spoke the
words. and he repeated the last ones
With emotion.
The man vbo spoke has endowed
the Uoiyersity Of Chicago with mil
lions upon millions Of dollars He is
John D. Rockefeller, who las, night,
in the parlors of the Fifth Avenue
Baptist church, addressed the young
uen 3 Bible class
Mr.. Rockefeller held io his bands a
cheap looking little yellow backed ac-
count book
..This is my ledger he said. "My
first business training was 10 keeping 8
ledger. It was at the time when | be-
gan to spend ny 6rs. earuiDgsiu my first
struggle to get footing.
ut was very bard struggle
When put my bead on my pillow the
cou.eots Of this little ledger then kept
cunning in my mind until I awakened
the pext morning
Besides the accounts kept in this
book there we're memoranda of occur
rences. In after years found it. l
kept it more than 42 years ago. In
dec,pberiog some writing on the back
of it here. I see that called it
Ledger a place great value upon
the, little book ;"
Mr.. Kookefeller's bands .rem bled as
he turned the pages Of the little. voIome
which he had taken from big envelope
10 hia inside pocket
1T was important to me to be par
ticular at that time about items Of re.
ceipts and disbursements" be con.in-
ned Il hope you young men are all
careful. It believe it is religious
duty to get all the money you can. get
it fairly. religiously aud hooessly-a6d
give away all yoa can.
81 would not dare to let you read this
book BY children read it. and said
that dido', spell toothbrush correctly.
I haven't seen this book for 25 years.
You couldn's get it from ne for all the
modern ledgers 10 New York and what
taey all would bring 10.
at reports what I received and
paid out for several years. Here is an
item:
Income from December 26. 1855.
to January 90. 1856, $50
"And | lived within my income
Out Of tha. l paid my wasderwoman.
the lady With whom boarded, and l
saved little aud put is away.
Il see lha. ] paid IN The Sunday
school every Sunday one cent. 1t was
all had to give bad large in-
crease in revenue the next year. It
vas increased $25 month.
81 was as Independent 10 those days
as Mr.. Asser Bn. When got that To-
crease felt guilty. felt like orimi-
Dal-like capitalist We bad no
trusts or capitalists in those days
81 remember the clothes 1 brought.
| didn't patrouize fashionable tailor.
/ bought my clothes from cheap CLOTH
ier. The clothes were good aad such
.. could pay for. Let me- give you
all word of advice: Live within
your means ~
Curiosity prompted Mr. Rookefel!er
here to ask all those to raise their
hands who had come to New York from
the country. Niue.seutbs Of the young
men raised their hands, to the evident
pleasure Of the speaker
''Cisy men haven't had the struggles
We had who came from the county" be
said Two days ago had talk with
carpenter who was going to make a
building comfortable where help were
going to sleep. There we're :wo big
spaces which he closed with mineral
wool. so the damp wouldo's come 10,
he said. Then on .be next floor he
showed me two spaces he was also
goiog to CLOSE with wool $50 that as be
xFressed it, the sleeper there, house
man, would Dot have to hear the rain
drops fall upon the roof
This seemed to afford Mr.. Rockefel
Ter infinite amusement.
"Why.' he sail. .'tae carpenters
suggestion made me ,biok of ny own
experiences when sleeping under the
roof. know that heard the rain fall,
and when l looked up could see the
shingles. and ip one place big crack
through which the sky was visible Il
was pretty bot there ia summer. but I
preferred GUNNER on the whole
81 think I was better for that sort OF
experience, aud my head is full of sad
ness as | contemplate the condition Of a
number of young fellows that / koow
in this city. Their fathers have plenty
r L 4