The National tribune., 1910-11-17

IOFN D. Rockefeller. at close range.
is what H. NJ. Briggs gives us in his
very interesting article on the Oil
King published in the current number
of the American Mr.. Briggs was Mr..
Rockefeller's personal body-guard for
several years, and was thus Afforded
an opportunity of becoming intimately
acquainted with the idiosyncrasies of
the richest man in the world Ac-
cording to. Mr. Briggs. and quite con-
trary to popular notion, Mr.. Rockefel-
ler is by no manner of means man OF
simple tastes when 1t comes to CUES
ton of amusing himself The things
he likes to do cost money, and his sum
mers at Forest Hill, at least when Mr..
Briggs was employed by him, consisted
of one gaiety after another. He par
ticularly enjoyed dashing along a coun-
try road in his auto, himself the chief
figure Of a gay, rollicking party of men
and women, bound for some distant
town or village, where they would have
dinner or supper. On these occasions
MIR. Rockefeller usually wore long
silk coat of bright yellow. with Jap
anese paper vest to keep out the cold,
heavy blue goggles over his eyes, and
on his mead a turtle-shaped hat of
pieces of strong cord. Sometimes. as
they approached the town, he would
borrow a vail from one of the ladies of
the party and tie this over his hat. Mr.
Briggs says the effect was Startling"
and 1t is easy to imagine it was. In
deed. the OIL King must have been
what women call a holy show" when
this final touch was given his costume.
Altho Mr. Rockefeller has published his
autobiography. he has never been con-
sidered a literary man. His tastes do
not seem to lie in that direction. With
his genius for business, it would be
rather surprising If he really cared par
ticularly for books. His favorite au-
thors seem to be Artemus Ward. whom
he considers superior to Mark Twain,
and Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Mr.. Briggs
tells US that he never heard him speak
of any other writer's. Mr.. Rockefeller
is very fond Of telling funny stories, and
says he would have been In his grave
40 years ago If it had not been for his
sense of humor. His sense of humor
Is. however, rather peculiar. The kind
of funny story he likes best II that
of successful bluff. The first appear
ance of Mr.. Rockefeller in public In his
wig is given quite q comic-tragic touch
IN this article. He was uncommOnly
bald. as everyone knows. but had finally
determined to wear wig. He donned
1t for the first time on Sunday morn
ing and went to church early. Tho
peopla stared numerically, of course,
and Mr.. Rockefeller probably suffer-
ed. but he stuck 1t out, and when all
was over seemed as pleased as Punch
with his new ladornment. which certain
ly improved his, appearance. In speak
ing of Rochefeller's reputation for
uricusness, Mr. Briggs says that he
never saw him spend a red cent. Often
II. .lNr ,-f. H. IL
children would bring baskets of fruit
or flowers to the side of the machine.
hoping to beguile few pennies from
this multi-mil lionaire. But Mr.. Rookie
feller would shake his head, and draw
from his pockets some kodak views
takenI by himself of his various estates,
in WHICH his own figure was prominent
With these he would entertain the lit
tie people for few minutes, while the
chauffeur replenished the gasoline or
something of the sort, but never a cont
I'D they get out of him.. Which hardly
seems credible. but Mr.. Briggs, who
ought to know says it Is so.
A NDREw CARNEGIE, who arrived
~ from Europe the other day. was
observed to lean heavily on the
arm of his secretary as he left the ship,
and to give other evidence Of feeble
nass. AS Mr Carnegie is now rs years
of-age, 1t would be rather surprising II
he did not display some Of the signs Of
old age. This canny Scotsman, who
came to America at the age OF 10 q
life, and a strenuous life tho crowned
with success leaves its mark In a more
or less impaired physical condition.
Still, at ia good, ripe sge-Andrew
Carnegie seems to be In full possession
of his faculties. is able to make yearly
visit to- his old home in Scotland and to
look after his many charities, so he
certainly has little reason to complain.
He says h> is feeling splendid" Dur
ing the voyage Mr.. Carnegie had occa-
sion to call upon his wife to recite the
second verse of America explaining
at the time that he was the proud own
er of the original manuscript of our
National Hymn, written by Samuel
Francis Smith in 1908. This fact of
few people know probably. and should
be of great interest to all Americans
A IL those deeply interested In hay
~ ing our boys and girls brought
up to be true Americans. with
the proper reverence for the Flag and
all it represents, will be, gratified to
know that the Mayor of Montclair, as
sisted by Lincoln Post, q. A. r., of
Newark, recently presented the new
grammar school of that beautiful town
With bronze tablet bearing Lincoln's
immortal Gettysburg Address I'm
pressed by the wisdom of. this. three
citizens of the town have offered to. do
the same for other schools. and 80 gen.
eral has the interest In tho matter be-
come that ii is most likely that ulti-
mately all the schools in MontcIair will
possess this priceless incentive to the
highest craftsmanship and Christian
endeavor. to say nothing OF its value in
affording In its simplicity. conciseness
and strength one of the best specimens
Of pure English we have to-day. The