The age-herald., 1899-02-19

tastes are in sympathy with my own, and we soon formed an acquaintanceship which ripened into a warmer feeling; and as the intimacy increased he made my house his home while in St. Paul. His family and mine are as intimate as we are with any other family in St. Paul. I cannot even discuss the matter with reference to the selection of Minnesota representative for l do not know"
 Thus in a diplomatic way the ex-governor disclaimed all friendship ties as influencing a cabinet appointment in favor of himself although 1t was well-known at the time that he desire ed to hold such position.
 Merriam, of Minnesota, began life as New Yorker. He was born in Essex coun- ty, N. Y., and when ten years of age re- moved with his parents to St. Paul, where the family settled and the boy Billy was sent to school.
 The fortunes of the Merriam family were in a good condition and the boy found him. self in a position to enter Racine academy : Wisconsin, which was at that time the leading academy of the northwest.
 Later he entered Racine college and took a complete course of studies, not graduat- ing until Fl. In those days it was consid- cred remarkable thing for a young man to attend college until he was twenty-two years of age. and young Merriam was re- garded as quite a prodigy in learning He was graduated at the head of his class and had the pleasure of being the valedictorian. He has often said since that no subsequent success ever equaled the feeling of joy which he experienced on being told that he had earned the proud right to be vale dictorian.
 When young Merriam returned to his home in St. Paul he found himself very nicely situated. His father, who was of old Puritan stock, being one of the May flower descendants, had the acquaintance of all the best business men in the west. And his mother, quiet French woman, was gifted with all the marvellous talent for home-makin which belongs to the better class of French women.
 At first the young man wished to turn his attention to literature. In college he had been the editor of the college paper, and for two years had done all the heavk work of editorial writing; but the business of editing newspaper in those days was not as lucrative as, now, and though young Merriam was anxious to become a Horace Greeley, he decided that 1t would be more to his worldly interest to turn his attention to banking.
 Accordingly he entered the First Ma tional bank of St. Paul as clerk on a sal ary of $50 per month; and worked steadily at his position until he had the satisfaction of being chosen cashier of the Merchants National bank, organized by his father and some of the other wealthy men of Mime. sota. He worked at the affairs of the Mer- chants National until it became one of the strongest banks in the northwest. and dur ing that time he now relates with much pride, he bore the strain of hard work without a sign of weakness. In nine years he wassits president.
 But while attending to his ledger MT, Merriam also found time to keep up with the social duties of St. Paul society. He made the acquaintance of Miss Hancock Q daughter of Mayor John Hancock and the niece of General Winfield Scott Han. cock. and after a very pretty courtshiy they were married. As Miss Hancock, shs had always been he leader of her socia eet, but as Mrs. William H. Merriam thi. Aristocyatic woman at once took full con trol of the social leadership of St. Paul Their home became the scene of some o the most extravagant entertainments tha had ever been given in the state. and peo