The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-12

TN one of the somnolent villages of
 upper New York old settlers tell q l story that equals almost anything in fiction It is of a tall, slim youth who was born in the village, who went to school there and who was trained in the only business establishment the place possessed-a dull, dreary country store From early morning until late at night the youth was on duty. He served the housewife who sought spool of thread or A. can of molasses, the child who want ed a sweetmeat or a toy and the man who needed boots, blankets or other things. One of the other things the men came for more often than for shoes or groceries was kept in a keg in the cellar This was a wonderful keg. From 1t the youth drew liquor which he sold to vell-to-do patrons for 15, 20 or 9 cents drink. according to their financial status From it, too he drew that which served to suit the palates of men accustomed to nav only 10 cents a drink. And from its spigot also came a liquor fiery enough 10 please the hardened creature who never paid more than cents for a dram. A redHN eNctlleHl SdltSihdA tAAaNa SSNNA must have been, for all his customers were pleased The well-to-do man who paid 9 cents a drink for his daily pota- ton smacked his lips in sweet content ment The common herd who paid their 10 cents seemed satisfied, and the old, broken-down topers who came from near and far regularly with their cents com plained only of the size of the glasses.
 For a year or more the youth sold thread and needles calico and candles, boots, brandy and other things, and was glad to receive $5 a month and his board for his services. Then one day he went away, carpetbag in hand, to seek his for tune as others did before and since in that sleepy village. No one expected much of him, for he was just like the or dinary run of boys. He was not par ticularly energetic and he did hot seem overly ambitious, but the old storekeeper always boasted that he never had bet ter clerk or a more orderly and faithful one
 Today that s5 a month country store drudge Henry Nj Flagler. is the posses sor of S100, ,0et.GO0 and known as one of the richest men inEthe world. He owns hundreds and hundreds of miles of rail- road. The greatest chain of magnificent hotels in the world belongs to him. He has transformed one of the neglected states of the United States into wonder land and he is master of countless in dustries. To the old settlers of that slow old village he seems to have had the touch of Midas. To the mass of the American people it has seemed the same vet those who know will tell you he nlunders as often as any other man, but he rarely fails to use a mistake as stepping stone to success. There is an old lesson in a happening at Palm Beach that efew persons know the real story about.
 One day there came into the mind or Mir Flagler an idea that stirred his imagination. The more he thought about 1t the more 1t appealed to him. He sent for Bernard T. Burchardi an engineer in -Vhom he had the highest confidence
 T want to build here at Palm Beach :" he said the largest ocean pier in the world I want to bring passengers di- rect from New York by water This can be made the point of distribution for q large part of the Florida territory"
 MT. Burchardi told him it would not