Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-24

CHERBOURG, France, June John
d. Rockefeller, the worlds richest man,
who is doing" Europe for the first
time, arrived last night by the liner
Deutschland, en- route for Cannes, after
what has been probably the most re-
markable experience In his life
For five days Mr.. Rockefeller, whose
income averages flve shillings second,
has made an almost pathetic attempt
to fraternize with other men, and for
the first time in his existence has tried
to be "a good fellow" He has talked
freely with any passenger who would
talk to him, has played shuffleboard In
the presence of the entire ships COM
pany, and has even danced an awkward
but enthusiastic Jig on the upper deck
when lie won a hotly contested game.
But most amazing of all, this hard
featured old man, who has been
universally pilloried and execrated
throughout America, was actually
cheered by the second cabin passengers,
to whom he delivered a brief lecture
Of the Sunday school order. These
spontaneous cheers we're the first Mr..
Rockefeller has ever received save from
the subsidized Cleveland Sunday school.
They pleased him more than anything
else, and for the remainder of the day
he talked of nothing but those honest,
sturdy men who represent the back
bone of the American nation"
Mr.. Rockefeller, accompanied by his
wife, his sister-in-law, Miss Spellman,
his daughter, Mrs, Parmelee Prentice,
and his private physician, Dr. Biggar,
occupied the cabins de luxe" Mr..
Rockefeller, who viewed the ocean voy-
age with misgivings, increased by the
prospect of European newspaper sur
n
arranged.
Words of Wisdom
He came aboard the Deutschland at
Hoboken wearing a square-crowned
bowler. morning coat striped trousers,
lavender tie and a new gray wig, won
derfully deceptive in appearance. Out
side Sandy Hook the eager passengers,
who stood three deep around the bill
lionaire to hear his first impressions.
were rewarded with the observation:
Dear me! What a lot of water!"
Until the pilot was dropped Mr.
Rockefeller hung over the side with a
small boys interest, and then, after eX
ploring the ship, settled down to a
round of Switchboard. meals and deck
walks. Mr.. Rockefeller received uni
versal sympathy from his shipmates be-
cause of his alleged lack of digestion.
But 1 wish persons who reported him
as existing on a condensed milk diet
could have seen him slowing away
beefSteaks, wheat cakes and other
American solids. He was first at the
s o'clock breakfast table and the last
to leave, sitting at the head of one of
the main saloon side tables.
He ate heartily whatever was set be-
fore him. His appetite amazed many
persons of ordinary digestive powers,
but he drank only milk or mineral
water. His clothes are painfully simple
and inexpensive. After embarking he
put away his morning coat and APP
peared in dark lounge jacket, striped
gray trousers, square-toed boots,
double linen collar and old-fashioned
blue tie. He wore this clothing con-
stantly, save on Sunday, when he
donned darker trousers. But he clung
tenaciously to the square-top bowler of
antiquated pattern, except on windy
days, when he wore polka dot" cap
His Sunday headgear was a gay plaid
cap. with the American flag worked in
the peak. He believes two neckties are
enough for any man, and probably
would have worn only one throughout
the voyage but for his daughters
protests.
Counting Silver
AS he leaned over the rail at Ply
mouth harbor yesterday afternoon,
wearing the same beloved bowler, he
looked like a prosperous western
American farmer in his Sunday clothes,
which were worth probably ga, all told
new. Mr.. Rockefeller paid little atten-
tion to Plymouth or the magnificent
view of the harbor, which in the bril-
liant sunshine presented as fair a first
view of England as any man could
wish. Instead, he closely watched the
transfer to the tug of a huge quantity
of bar silver destined for China. He
kept tally as the bars went over the
side. observing at one time to the man
next him: "Tallyman's wrong in his
figures" afterwards correcting himself,
however, by saying, 81 missed one"
The chief characteristic of this
worlds richest man is his expression
of shrewdness. His face is wrinkled
and eatherbeaten. and around the
small. deep-set, blue eyes are number
less little lines. His jaw is long and
determined. and his nose unusually
long. But his hands are his most re-
markable Characteristic. They are
large, broad and knotted. with ridged