proving to the world, at his own expense, the great value of his invention; and his success spread his fame over both continents. From that time his life was a succession of triumphs in America and Europe. Subsequent to 1855, he spent several years in Europe, establishing immense factories for the manufacture of his iron boats, vessels, and life cars, floating docks, pontoon bridges and wagons, for five of the leading European governments. Medals, diplomas, and royal honors were showered upon him from the highest authorities. Crowned heads recognized his services in the interests of humanity; and it is claimed that no American, except General Grant, was ever more kindly received and honored by nobles and monarchs than Mr. Francis.

This is a remarkable life, with its lessons for every reader. The conception of the great idea of his life was the easiest part of it. His trials and exhausting labors came when he attempted to reduce it to practice. Had he been no more resolute and invincible than the average American, his conception never would have attained a real form. He would have soon found excuse for abandoning his idea in the poverty that oppressed him, or the difficulties that beset his way. But his noble qualities of mind and heart served him better than wealth. They won success for him without private or public patronage.

CHAPTER XXX.

JOHN DAVISON ROCKEFELLER.

ON THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS HIS RANK AMONG THE CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY — HIS GREAT WEALTH · PLACE OF HIS BIRTH PARENTAL QUALITIES INHERITED HIS BOYHOOD MARKED BY INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY — REMOVED TO CLEVELAND — INTEREST IN CHURCH WORK EDUCATION BEGINNING OF HIS INDUSTRIAL CAREER HIS INTROTHE STANDARD OIL COMPANY OTHER BUSINESS ENTERPRISES HIS PERSONALITY HOMES AND HOME LIFE TO WHAT HIS WONDERFUL SUCCESS IS DUE PHILANTHROPIES. OF ECONOMY.

DUCTION TO THE OIL INDUSTRY

THE LEDGER

It has always seemed to me that there is something unfortunate in being born in a city. Most young men brought up

in New York and other large centers have not had the struggle which come to us who were reared in the country. It is a noticeable fact that the country men are crowding out the city fellows who have wealthy fathers. They are willing to do more work, and to go through more for the sake of winning success in the end. Sons of wealthy parents have not a ghost of a show in competition with the fellows who come from the country with a determination to do something in the world. What benefited me the most was the new insight I gained as to what a great place the world really is. I had plenty of ambition, and saw that if I was to accomplish much I would have to work very, very hard indeed.

In my early career I was very economical, just as I am economical now. Economy is a virtue. A glance through my first ledger shows me how carefully I kept account of my receipts and disbursements. I only wish more young men could be induced to keep accounts nowadays. It would go far toward teaching them the value of money.

My advice is keep a little ledger, write down in it what you receive, and do not be ashamed to write down what you

pay away. See that you pay it away in such a manner that your father or mother may look over your book and see just what you do with your money. It will help you to save money, and that you ought to do.

I think it is a man's duty to make all the money he can, keep all he can, and give away all he can. I have followed this principle religiously all my life. But always live within your means. One of the swiftest toboggan slides I know of is for a young fellow, just starting out into the world, to go in debt.

The chief thing to which I ascribe my business success is early training, and the fact that I was willing to persevere. I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.

But don't make the mistake that the struggle for success means nothing but money. Money is good only if you know how to use it. Some have all the money they need to provide for their wants, and still are poor. Indeed, the poorest man I know of is the man who has nothing but money;- nothing else in the world upon which to fix his ambition and thought. That is the sort of man I consider to be the poorest in the world.

a

John & Rockefeller

MONG the American captains of industry, Mr. John D. Rockefeller is the greatest. He combines with this position that of a master of finance, and it may be that in this field he will yet prove as great as, or greater than, Mr. Pierpont Morgan. But as this one is first of all a financier, so the other is above and beyond everything a master in the industrial field. It is surprising how very much is told of Mr. Rockefeller, and how very little is known concerning him. The material for a book has been published in the newspapers, and the writers have vied with one another in presenting his great wealth in the most bewildering lights, yet it is a positive fact that no man except Mr. Rockefeller himself knows what his wealth amounts to. His partners in various enterprises, and the officers of the many companies in which he has invested

his wealth, all know something about his means, but no man knows everything about them.

It is to be doubted whether Mr. Rockefeller himself knows how much he is worth, and if he knew to-day, the fluctuations of the listed stocks on the exchange, minute and like the tremblings of a needle though they are, must alter the sum of his wealth with every hour and minute of each working day.

We read a great deal about only one sort of change in his wealth; the steady growth of the same by the accretions of interest. These are always published upon the assumption that Mr. Rockefeller is the richest man in the world, and that he is worth two hundred millions of dollars. This is set down to his credit in spite of the fact that he has testified in court that he does not know within ten millions of dollars what his vast fortune amounts to.

John Davison Rockefeller was born in Richford, Tioga County, N. Y., July 8, 1839. His father, William Avery, was a physician and business man as well. With great energy he cleared the forest, built a sawmill, loaned his money, and, like his noted son, knew how to overcome obstacles.

The mother, Eliza Davison, was a woman of rare common sense and executive ability. Self-poised in manner, charitable, persevering in whatever she attempted, she gave careful attention to the needs of her family, but did not forget that she had Christian duties outside her home. The devotion of Mr. Rockefeller to his mother as long as she lived was marked, and worthy of example.

The Rockefeller home in Richford was one of mutual work and helpfulness. All were taught the value of labor and of economy. The eldest son, John, early took responsibility upon himself. Willing and glad to work, he cared for the garden, milked the cows, and acquired the valuable habit of never wasting his time. When about nine years old he raised and sold turkeys, and instead of spending the money, probably his first earnings, saved it, and loaned it at seven per cent. It would be interesting to know if the lad ever dreamed then of being, perhaps, the richest man in America.

In 1853 the Rockefeller family moved to Cleveland, Ohio; and John, then fourteen years of age, entered the high school. He was a studious boy, especially fond of mathematics and of music, and learned to play the piano; he was retiring

in manner, and exemplary in conduct. When between fourteen and fifteen years of age, he joined the Erie Street Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio, now known as the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church, where he has been from that time an earnest and most helpful worker. The boy of fifteen did not confine his work in the church to prayer meetings and Sunday school. There was a church debt, and it had to be paid. He began to solicit money, standing in the church door as the people went out, ready to receive what each was willing to contribute. He gave also of his own as much as was possible; thus learning early in life, not only to be generous, but to incite others to generosity.

When about eighteen or nineteen, he was made one of the board of trustees of the church, which position he held till his absence from the city in the past few years prevented his serving. He has been the superintendent of the Sunday school of the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church for about thirty years. When he had held the office for twenty-five years the Sunday school celebrated the event by a reception for their leader. After addresses and music, each one of the five hundred or more persons present shook hands with Mr. Rockefeller, and laid a flower on the table beside him. From the first he has won the love of the children from his sympathy, kindness, and his interest in their welfare. No picnic even would be satisfactory to them without his presence.

After two years passed in the Cleveland high school, the school year ending June, 1855, young Rockefeller took a summer course in the Commercial College, and at sixteen was ready to see what obstacles the business world presented to a boy. He found plenty of them. It was the old story of every place seeming to be full; but he would not allow himself to be discouraged by continued refusals. He visited manufacturing establishments, stores, and shops, again and again, determined to find a position.

He succeeded on the 26th of September, 1855, and became assistant bookkeeper in the forwarding and commission house of Hewitt & Tuttle. He did not know what pay he was to receive; but he knew he had taken the first step towards success, he had obtained work. At the end of the year, for the three months, October, November, and December, he received fifty dollars, not quite four dollars a week.