The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-21

had found the largest American flag to be
had. This he took back 10 his pacAing-house
and had it raised, joining the hosts Of other
streamers. all proclaiming American victoyy
over Spain.
With this anecdote as an evidence of his
regard for America, and at the same time
his intentise to never be behind the pro-
cession, SiF'Thomas believes that London to-.
day is the best place in the world for an
energetic man to make money.
IAN active. hustling mani, he says. "can
find a better opening for business in London
today than anywhere else. q A.
Thirty eight years ago Sir Thomas Upton
was a messenger boy in stationer's shop in
Glasgow, and his father was a. day laborer
The boys wages were shillings and pence
per week. At night. when through with his
work. he attended school and in that way re-
ceived his education Some five or six years
later. or about the time he was 49, he ran
away from home and took passage in the
steerage of an Anchor liner for New York
Among his fellow passengers he found
many who were sick and who needed the lit
tie comforts of life. He did for them the best
he could and won their friendship. Arriving
at the dock in New York city the place was
houses, all eager to capture the passengers.
Upton pushed through them and ran to the
nearest hotel Boiling In on the surprised
''Will you board me free for month If
bring you forty patrons?
The proprietor said he would. Then Upton
the steerage, brought them to the friendly
hotel and lodged them. The landlord gave
him room with two other men, and there he
lived board free, for month. During this
time he obtained work on the docks and saved
little money.
Two years ago. sitting at dinner in Chi
cago, Sir Thomas turned to a Western. friend
and said to him:
when 1 came over this time l was offered
the best cabin and quarters for my man and
secretary The best on the ship was at my
do n III 90 a,r1k
ney over in the Storage. it was different.
Do you know l never come to New York but
Whist I go and look at that hotel where was
lodged the room In which I slept and talk
with the proprietor? You may smile: you have
always travelled first-cbass. l once was not
ehIe to-
After short stay in New York he Travelled
to South Carolina and worked In the rice
fields then visited Texas. and finally returned
to New York as g. stowaway on a steamship.
my sole ambition was to make enough
money to buy a barrel Of American flour and
an American rocking chair for my mother.
had the money in a years time, and then
I started back to Scotland with the -four and
the rocking chair I reached home In the
night and waited until morning before going
to my parents house. I then took cab,
loaded myself the -four and the chair into it,
so that all the neighbors would see the col
lection, and 1 drove to the home Of my
mother"
est Terah Hooley for such touches of heart
nature as this, such simplicity of purpose,
such evidence OF democracy ,ct,~rF.
The business start of Sir Thomas was a
humble merchant of provisions, meats of the
inferior order. His parents had $500, and
they let him add to this what he brought
back with him. He believed that the world
was always hungry and always wiling to pay
a decent price for something to eat. He de-
termined to be provisioner. In the little
store he started with he was his own clerk
hookkeeper and manager. He put up the
shutters at night and took them down in
the morning. He was particular to study
what his customers wanted, = His own pecu-
liar individuality was kept before them until
Upton. one of the smallest provision dealers
in Glasgow. was better known than those who
had been in business for years by and by
as Re prospered no found means with which
to advertise. He put the name Of Upton
where every man. woman and child in Sect
lend and England must see it. Naturally,
after they knew the name they desired to
further know what he did, and when they
gained that knowledge they patronized him.
Possibly, though, the patronage would never
have come if Upton had not adhered TO the
rule Of being honest with his trade and Of
underselling old time merchants who sur
rounded him and who did business in old
ways.
Sir Thomas worked necessarily justifying
his own remark that he labored twenty-five