How They Succeeded: Life Stories of Successful Men Told by Themselves

CHAPTER IX. Questions and Answers Business 139

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS BUSINESS 139 POINTERS BY DARIUS OGDEN MILLS.

Work 139

Self-Dependence 140

Thrift 141

Expensive Habits—Smoking 141

Forming an Independent Business 142 Judgment

The Multiplication of Opportunities 142 To-day in America

Where is One’s Best Chance? The 143 Knowledge of Men

The Bottom of the Ladder 144

The Beneficent Use of Capital 145

Wholesome Discipline of Earning and 146 Spending

Personal: A Word about Cheap Hotels 146

CHAPTER X. Nordica: What It Costs to Become a 149

NORDICA: WHAT IT COSTS TO BECOME A 149 QUEEN OF SONG

The Difficulties 150

“The World was Mine, if I would 152 Work”

“It put New Fire into me” 154

“I was Traveling on Air” 156

In Europe 159

“Why don’t you Sing in Grand 161 Opera?”

This was her Crowning Triumph 162

She was Indispensable in “Aida” 166

The Kindness of Frau Wagner 167

Musical Talent of American Girls 169

The Price of Fame 170

CHAPTER XI. How He Worked to Secure a Foot-Hold 171

HOW HE WORKED TO SECURE A FOOT-HOLD 171 WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS.

A Lofty Ideal 172

Acquiring a Literary Style 174

My Workshop 175

How to Choose Between Words 177

The Fate following Collaboration 179

Consul at Venice 180

My Literary Experience 182

As to a Happy Life 184

CHAPTER XII. John D. Rockefeller 185

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER 185

His Early Dream and Purpose 186

School Days 188

A Raft of Hoop Poles 191

The Odor of Oil 192

His First Ledger and the Items in 193 it

$10,000 196

He Remembered the Oil 197

Keeping his Head 197

There was Money in a Refinery 198

Standard Oil 200

Mr. Rockefeller’s Personality 201

At the Office 202

Foresight 203

Hygiene 204

At Home 205

Philanthropy 206

Perseverance 207

A Genius for Money-Making 207

CHAPTER XIII. The Author of the Battle Hymn of 209

THE AUTHOR OF THE BATTLE HYMN OF 209 THE REPUBLIC HER VIEWS OF EDUCATION FOR YOUNG WOMEN.

“Little Miss Ward” 211

She was Married to a Reformer 212

Story of the “Battle Hymn of the 214 Republic”

“Eighty Years Young” 215

The Ideal College 217

CHAPTER XIV. A Talk With Edison Dramatic 220

A TALK WITH EDISON DRAMATIC 220 INCIDENTS IN HIS EARLY LIFE.

The Library 221

A Chemical Newsboy 223

Telegraphy 225

His Use of Money 227

Inventions 228

His Arrival at the Metropolis 231

Mental Concentration 232

Twenty Hours a Day 233

A Run for Breakfast 234

Not by accident and Not for Fun 235

“I like it—I hate it” 236

Doing One Thing Eighteen Hours is 237 the Secret

Possibilities in the Electrical 238 Field

Only Six Hundred Inventions 238

His Courtship and his Home 239

CHAPTER XV. A Fascinating Story by General Lew 241

A FASCINATING STORY BY GENERAL LEW 241 WALLACE.

A Boyhood of Wasted Opportunities 242

His Boyhood Love for History and 244 Literature

A Father’s Fruitful Warning 245

A Manhood of Splendid Effort 246

“The Regularity of the Work was a 247 Splendid Drill for me”

Self-Education by Reading and 247 Literary Composition

“The Fair God” 249

The Origin of “Ben-Hur” 250

Influence of the Story of the 251 Christ upon the Author

CHAPTER XVI. Carnegie As a Metal Worker 253

CARNEGIE AS A METAL WORKER 253

Early Work and Wages 254

Colonel Anderson’s Books 255

His First Glimpse of Paradise 256

Introduced to a Broom 258

An Expert Telegrapher 259

What Employers Think of Young Men 261

The Right Men in Demand 262

How to Attract Attention 263

Sleeping-Car Invention 264

The Work of a Millionaire 266

An Oil Farm 267

Iron Bridges 268

Homestead Steel Works 269

A Strengthening Policy 270

Philanthropy 271

“The Misfortune of Being Rich Men’s 273 Sons”

CHAPTER XVII. John B. Herreshoff, the Yacht 276

JOHN B. HERRESHOFF, THE YACHT 276 BUILDER

PART I.

“Let the Work Show” 278

The Voyage of Life 279

A Mother’s Mighty Influence 280

Self Help 281

Education 282

Apprentices 283

Prepare to Your Utmost: then Do 284 Your Best

Present Opportunities 284

Natural Executive Ability 285

The Development of Power 286

“My Mother” 287

A Boat-Builder in Youth 288

He Would Not be Discouraged 288

The Sum of it All 289

Part Ii. What the Herreshoff

Brothers have been Doing.

Racing Jay Gould 291

The “Stiletto” 293

The Blind Brother 296

Personality of John B. Herreshoff 297

Has he a Sixth Sense? 299

Seeing with His Fingers 300

Brother Nat 301

CHAPTER XVIII. A Successful Novelist: Fame After 304

A SUCCESSFUL NOVELIST: FAME AFTER 304 FIFTY PRACTICAL HINTS TO YOUNG AUTHORS, BY AMELIA E. BARR.

Value of Biblical and Imaginative 305 Literature

Renunciation 306

Delightful Studies 307

Fifteen Hours a Day 308

An Accident 309

Vocation 310

Words of Counsel 310

CHAPTER XIX. How Theodore Thomas Brought the 314

HOW THEODORE THOMAS BROUGHT THE 314 PEOPLE NEARER TO MUSIC

“I was Not an Infant Prodigy” 315

Beginning of the Orchestra 316

Music had No Hold on the Masses 320

Working Out His Idea 323

The Chief Element of his Success 326

CHAPTER XX. John Burroughs At Home: the Hut on 327

JOHN BURROUGHS AT HOME: THE HUT ON 327 THE HILL TOP

CHAPTER XXI

VREELAND’S ROMANTIC STORY HOW HE 341 CAME TO TRANSPORT A MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY.

CHAPTER XXII

HOW JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY CAME TO BE 357 MASTER OF THE HOOSIER DIALECT

Thrown on His Own Resources 357

Why he Longed to be a Baker 359

Persistence 361

Twenty Years of Rejected 362 Manuscripts

A College Education 364

Riley’s Popularity 365

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INTRODUCTORY NOTE

THE GREAT INTEREST manifested in the life-stories of successful men and women, which have been published from time to time in the magazine SUCCESS, has actuated their production in book form. Many of these sketches have been revised and rewritten, and new ones have been added. They all contain the elements that make men and women successful; and they are intended to show that character, energy, and an indomitable ambition will succeed in the world, and that in this land, where all men are born equal and have an equal chance in life, there is no reason for despair. I believe that the ideal book for youth should deal with concrete examples; for that which is taken from real life is far more effective than that which is culled from fancy. Character-building, its uplifting, energizing force, has been made the basic principle of this work.

To all who have aided me I express a grateful acknowledgment; and to none more than to those whose life-stories are here related as a lesson to young people. Among those who have given me special assistance in securing those life-stories are, Mr. Harry Steele Morrison, Mr. J. Herbert Welch, Mr. Charles H. Garrett, Mr. Henry Irving Dodge, and Mr. Jesse W. Weik. I am confident that the remarkable exhibit of successful careers made in this book—careers based on sound business principles and honesty—will meet with appreciation on the part of the reading public.

ORISON SWETT MARDEN.

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MARSHALL FIELD

THIS world-renowned merchant is not easily accessible to interviews, and he seeks no fame for his business achievements. Yet, there is no story more significant, none more full of encouragement and inspiration for youth.

In relating it, as he told it, I have removed my own interrogations, so far as possible, from the interview.

“I was born in Conway, Massachusetts,” he said, “in 1835. My father’s farm was among the rocks and hills of that section, and not very fertile. All the people were poor in those days. My father was a man who had good judgment, and he made a success out of the farming business. My mother was of a more intellectual bent. Both my parents were anxious that their boys should amount to something in life, and their interest and care helped me.

“I had but few books, scarcely any to speak of. There was not much time for literature. Such books as we had, I made use of.

“I had a leaning toward business, and took up with it as early as possible. I was naturally of a saving disposition: I had to be. Those were saving times. A dollar looked very big to us boys in those days; and as we had difficult labor in earning it, we did not quickly spend it. I however,

DETERMINED NOT TO REMAIN POOR.”

“Did you attend both school and college?”

“I attended the common and high schools at home, but not long. I had no college training. Indeed, I cannot say that I had much of any public school education. I left home when seventeen years of age, and of course had not time to study closely.

“My first venture in trade was made as clerk in a country store at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where everything was sold, including dry-goods. There I remained for four years, and picked up my first knowledge of business. I

SAVED MY EARNINGS AND ATTENDED STRICTLY TO BUSINESS,

and so made those four years valuable to me. Before I went West, my employer offered me a quarter interest in his business if I would remain with him. Even after I had been here several years, he wrote and offered me a third interest if I would go back.

“But I was already too well placed. I was always interested in the commercial side of life. To this I bent my energies; and

I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WOULD BE A MERCHANT.

“In Chicago, I entered as a clerk in the dry-goods house of Cooley, Woodsworth & Co., in South Water street. There was no guarantee at that time that this place would ever become the western metropolis; the town had plenty of ambition and pluck, but the possibilities of greatness were hardly visible.”

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