River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-03-03

up his fathers work of butchernq rbo+ NIGHT 1obn
JACOB walked out of Waldorf by the wan light of the
moon headed for Antwerp. He carrad big red hand
kerchief in which his worldly goods we're knotted
he reached Antwerp in week. There he got
1oD on the docks as Iaborer The rext day he was
promoted to checkerof The captain of a ship asked
him to go to London and figure up tho manfests on the
way. He went
The captain of the ship recommended him to the
company In London and the boy was ping I'D wealth at
the rate of guinea month
In September, 1888, the news to London that
George Washington had surrendered In any event
peace had been declared-Comwalls had forced the
issue, SO the Americans had stopped fighting.
little later it was given out that England had
given up her American colonies they were free
Intuvely John Jacob Astor that the new world
was the place for him. He bought pa ssage by sailing
ship bound for Baltimore, at cost of five pounds He
then fastened five pounds in belt waist and
with the rest of his money-afer sending pounds
home TO his father with letter of love-bought
German flutes
He had learned to play this insrument with pro-
fciency and in America he thought there would be
opening for musicians and musical instruments.
John Jacob then nearly 20 years of age.
On board ship he met German, 20 years older than
himself, who a fur trader and had been home
visit John Jacob played the flute and the German friend
told stories of fur trading among the Indians.
Young Astor's curiosity excited The Waldorf
Astoria plan of flute playing forgotten. He fed
fur trading
Arriving in Baltimore he was disappointed
TINT there fur traders there He started for
New York
There he found work with certsn Robert BOVINE,
a Quaker who bought and sold furs.
Young Astor set himself to learn tie business-every
part of it. He always sitting the doorstep before
the owner, carrying big key to open the warehouse
got around in the morning He was the last to leave
night
The qualities that make a youth a good servant
the basic ones mastershp. Astor's aertness, will
ingness loyalty and ability to obey delivered his en-
pOyer over into his hands.
Robert Bovine, the good old Quaker, insisted that
Jacob should call him Robert, and from boarding the
young with a nearby widow who took cheap
boarders Bovine took young Astor to his own house
and raised his pay from 81 week tc Sc.
Bovine had made annual trip to Montreal for many
years. Montreal was the metropolis for furs Bovine
went Montreal himself because he did not know of
anyone he could trust to the message to Garcia
Young Astor had been with Bovine only year He
spoke imperfect English but he did not drink gamble
and he knew furs and was honest
Bovine started him off for Canada with belt full
of gold; his only weapon a German flute that he
carried in his hand.
John Jacob Astor assembled the Hudson river to AL
bany and then pack his back struck north alone
through the forest for Lake Champaign. AS he ap-
preached an settlement he played his flute The
aborgines showed disposition to give him the hook
hired Indians to paddle him up to the Canadian bor
der. He reached Montreal.
The fur traders there knew Bovine as a very sharp
buyer had their quilts out his approach But
young seemingly Indifferent His manner was
and He got close to his man and took
his pick pelts fair prices. He expended all Of
his money and bought credit, for there men
who always have credit
Young Astor found Indian to be simply human
nature The savage and courtesy. gentleness
and fairly good flute playing soothed his savage breast
Aston had beads and blankets flute and smile The
Indians carried goods by relays then passed him
on with cultural certificates to character to other
red men and at last he reached New York without the
loss of pelt the dampening of his ardor.
Bovine delighted. To young Astor it was moth
ing He had in his blood the corpuscle.
He might have remained with Bovine and become a
partner business. but Bovine had business imi-