The Washington herald., 1909-03-14

DuBBy. lie was knocked INTO the fniQOle I
Of the road. A moment later the strange |
man was going away in the buggy. the |
horse beating the pavement like a tattoo |
on a drum. Mr.. Ferguson disappeared |
as quickly and permanently from Nash |
vile as he had from Winnemucca. be- |
ing the same gentleman, you under |
stand, who cut me in the neck with a
knife. And yet some Of my friends in
Nevada opined that 1 should have |
thrown him out of the bank and locked /
the door on him and his genial COM |
paniOns."
And Senator Nixon again walked twice |
around the table ia the center OF The /
room. stamping HIS feet and loudly |
laughing.
You are a very rich man now, having |
made millions in mines" I said, but !
you were brought up in poverty"
Not exactly in poverty" Senator |
Nixon answered. but my parents and
their children lived rather plainly. AS
matter of fact. I was fourteen years
old before had a suit OF store clothing. |
Ny father and mother spent six months
in moving from Arkansas to California
in a covered wagon. At the end OF their
journey they had an OK. some home
made furniture. afew pans. and bundle
Of bedding. They planted a fruit farm
of fifteen acres-plums. peaches. and ap-
pies
MY father was Industrious. but made
little Roadway. being afraid Of debt and
speculation. I recollect that I felt like
burglar when, going into business for
myself, I asked a man to loan me
small sum OF money. Ones viewpoint.
you know, Is largely a matter Of home
training When not working among the
fruit-say. for two months in a year
I attended an alleged school IN the
neighbOrhood. Some one in describing
the climate OF a place called Bull Frog
said # was III degrees in the shade and
no shade. went TO school eight weeks
in the winter. but I didn't learn any
thing worth mentioning
TN the meantime. was trading around
IN an amateurish way and learning 10
make money. I put eggs under ar old
hen and got nine turkeys. which I sold
for $50 apiece az Thanksgiving. Expert
fruit packers must have sensitive fingers.
Women. children. and japanese do we'll
everything they touch and are inapt in
the first place. could pack fruit and
nail the boxes like a streak OF young
lightning and was wanted throughout the
community.
Birds ate our plums and peaches. and
my father bought an old shotgun. and
ordered me 10 the orchard. However, I
was not TO shoot while the birds were in
the trees, and thus damage the fruit and
foliage So I became a mighty good
wing shot.
The station agent at Newcastle. eight
miles away heard OF my shooting, and
suggested that supply him with duails
for the mining camps at $50 dozen.
I hunted from the middle Of October
until late IN the winter. leaving home in
the morning long before dawn. and often
walking forty miles before a late supper.
Some days I shot six dozen quails. and
walking home through the moonlight.
would tumble together various pictures
and plans concerning the future.
But I was always exact and definite
with respect to my own individual policy.
I understood that truthfUlness and hon
esty were profitable TO me personally.
not IN morals only, but IN good, hard
money. Boy that ] was, any merchant
would willingly trust me. When I said:
I shall pay for the shoes next Tues
day. I was at the store on Tuesday, and
not on wednesday or Thursday.
Young men rarely appreciate the
money value OF a good reputation. Char
acter Is capital on which there are SEMI
annual and never-failing dividends. One
must borrow money IN order to make
s-gI
his own TO build a railroad. There is a
Cancelled check for 81. 10000 on the wall
Of my bank in Reno. Several years ago
7 bought some mining claims for s.. 100000 /
It was a quick transaction I paid $4,000
down 10 bind the bargain The man
waited IN my office while I hustled for
the balance. I was back in thirty min
utes. Then I wrote she check. The
bank which advanced the money had no
other security than my pronissory note.
80, returning 20 my early days IN Cali
fornla. was quail hunter in winter and
a fruit packer IN summer. I saved 800. |
When I was between eighteen and nine
teen years old. my station agent friend |
advised me to come into mis- Office and
learn telegraphy. I paid him 500 a month
for my board. and got nothing for my
services. although was on duty from )
o'clock in the morning until Il o'clock at
night But I learned telegraphing, and
also the railway and express business.
My parents said I was foolish 10 work
so hard for the station agent and get
nothing for It. replied: 7 am not work
ing for him. but for myself I am going
TO school, I had already learned. you
see. to help myself. No young man. if he
has health. needs the help of anybody.
remained fifteen months ar Newcastle, |
and I didn't spend a cent, except the
money I paid for my board When my
cash on hand had been reduced 10 90, |
was given a position at Brown, across |
the line In the State Of Nevada Brown /
was nothing more than a water tank My /
wages were SO a month. ! did my own l
cooking. Indians wanting crackers and /
bacon. I bought a small stock OF such
frontier q -.tcac ies, and in that way added /
a little to my salary.
by degrees was sent along TO larger /
stations. keeping out Of saloons and never |
drinking I learned to smoke after 1 was 1
twenty-six years old. Humboldt, a green /
oasis In the desert. was the last place I /
worked as ralrOad empioye. II was a i
dinner station. Ny Office was in the /
hotel. made the acquaintance Of a num- |
Der OF cGttlemen, and also OF Mr.. Bender. |
the general freight and passenger agent |
Of the railway and the president of a |
bank at Reno. When Mr.. Bender offered /
me a place in his bank at 500 a month /
I took IT,
a man whom I knew told me about \
some land at Pomona, Cal had bought 4
twenty-one acres for s.. 100, paying 500 in /
cash and giving a mortgage After being
in Reno for fifteen months. I sold my /
California land for $1,000 Then 7 organ /