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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1907)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND. OCTOBER 20, 1907. HN D." ROCK HIS REAL CHARACTER REVEALED BY THE CONFESSION OF ONE OF :HIS . SECRET SERVICE MEN. JO OF FEAR This remarkable article wm writ tea for the Boston Herald by T. T. Timayenis: few men have had greater opportunities than he to stady the oil kins. He ate with Rockefeller, lodged with Rockefeller, tutored the Rockefeller children, brought Rocke feller Information obtained while tutoring the children of other wealthy men. and even attended a meeting of the directors of the Stand ard Oil Company with Rockefeller. FOR a period of five or six years I tutored the family of John D. Rockefeller. No man, perhaps, has of late occu pied the attention of the public to such an extent as the president of the Stan dard Oil Company. But a great deal of what has been said or written up to the present time. If studied dispassion ately, does not seem to apply to Mr. Rockefeller the man quite so much, as to the Standard Oj. Company. Mr. Rockefeller takes '.ho same ground, alleging that there Is a dis tinction between the corporation and himself as an individual. The press' teems with accusations of rebates, of secret arrangements entered into with transportation lines, . of persecutions against rivals, of violations cf law; and Mr. Rockefeller is not only held re sponsible, but Is roui dly abused, unable to escape the public Indignation. Mr. Rockefeller is anxious to have the public understand that he Is not responsible for this condition of af lalrs. Me assures us that for a num ber of years he has taken no active part In the conduct of the Standard Oil Company, has not dictated Its policy. v hen questioned his memory falls him, his answers lack the ring of assertion, and they are, to say the least, elusive. Longs to Be Understood. - In a word, Mr. Rockefeller is anxious to have the public believe that he Is a martyr, that he Is a friend and ser vant of the public, t. -t he Is the bene factor of the poor, that he is not the black sheep he is represented to be, is not a hypocrite, but an upright, truthful, charitable man, a Christian, a patriot, a man worthy df the good opinion of us all. ). how many times I have heard him express the desire, the ardent wish, the longing for public recognition. Neither pen nor words, at least not mine, can describe how much Mr. Rockefeller fears publicity. He fears to have his acts questioned or criticised, fears to have even his family ques tioned him as to matters of business, fears aye the sound of his footsteps, fears his shadow, fears the reflection i. his own image In the looking glass. Constant Fear Rules Life. The life of Jo!-.n D. Rockefeller Is a constant fear. He fears his friends, fears imaginary enemies, fears In- associates, fears the world, fears the sound of thunder, fears to walk in the dark, fears the rush of the wind as it brushes the trees, fears night, fears the barking of the dog, fears anything and everybody,, fears his own father, and the world fear is the one word he uses above all others! He fears the water he drinks Is not pure, fears tradesmen are i.ot honest. In fact, 1 know from experience that no man who has long associated with John I. -Rockefeller can escape being himself Impregnated with fear. I am unable to account for this pe culiar attitude, so characteristic of the man. I cannot explain why he is tor mented by gloomy fancies. A Lora broso might, perhaps, give good rea sons for this hypochondria. I cannot. And Mr. Rockefeller actually be lieves that he Is entitled to public recognition by reason of his success In lue. which success he measures by the dollars he command-! Nose Guards Him Well. Picture to yourself an old man, taci turn, gloomy, secretive, sensitive, and rigid; tall, somewhat shrunken, with a stout nose, a nose that seems to be not so much the organ oi smell as an Implement for detecting danger or sep arating truth from falsehood. Mr. Rockefeller attaches great Import ance to his nose and asserts that It la the one organ which the Almighty bestowed on man to guard him against false friends and designing scoundrels. Picture to your self, then, a thin old man with a nose like the above also with a pair fo hard, cold eyes, which may be blue or orange, or yellow, or blue and yellow eyes which emit no welcome, no light heartedness, no contentedness; which show no emo tion, but only disappointment, which possess a hypnotic influence and then, perhaps, one may understand the secret of the dominant power possessed by John D. Rockefeller. Again, picture to yourself an old man with a large, ugly .almost repellant mouth, a mouth which seems to denote subdued passion, suffering or anger, cot ctousness and eagerness, greed, or some Inextinguishable desire, and overanxiety, and one may perhaps understand the un bending, the unsatisfied nature of the old man. AVlfe Devoted to Children. I was employed for a number of years to tutor his family, composed then of three daughters. Alta, Edi :h. Bessie, and his son. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Mrs. Rockefeller was also my puplT, as well as her sister. Miss Spellman. Nature has not endowed Mrs. Rocke feller with beauty, but few, is any. are . the women possessed of a sweeter dispo sition, a more kindly heart, or more at tractive soul. She Is free of all cant, of all pretentiousness, plain and simple In her tastes, domestic, and devoted to her children. In a word she is an up right Christian wife and mother. I was cautioned not to use the word "theater" In the presence of my pupns for they were not allowed to visit any public place of amusement, least of all a theater. That was looked upon as an awfully dangerous and wicked place for young or old the sure road to perdition. Thus It happens that I cannot recall any real distraction with which to connect the life of my pupils during the six or seven years of my tutorage. Hoube Silent and Gloomy. The elastic step, the laughter of youth, the light heartedness, the romping about, the playfulness, which one is supposed to meet among the young and happy were entirely lacking, lacking almost to de jection. It was a gloomy horizon with a heaviness that prevaded the entire house hold. Silence and gloom everywhere. The children were not aliowed to hum about the house, not allowed to step un less lightly and cautiously, and, on my part, as soon as my lessons In composi tion, history and languages were over I was glad to be out again, free from the unnatural restraint, the heavy gloom, the stifling atmosphere ' of that Immense house, free to walk, not on tiptoe, but after the manner of a healthy and strong man. I must not. however, omit to state that ny pupils were taught to play each upon a separate Instrument such as the vio lin, the harplscord. the fiddle, and the drum, a most undesirable and painful combination of inharmonious dissonance, best of all described by the single Greek word, cacophony. This combination of instruments were called "the orchestra," and it was the only real amusement my forlorn pupils had to offer to the few. very few, visitors who were admitted Into the Inner circle. It was, howeevr. amusing to notice the excitement, the effervescence, the flattery, the foam, the bubble of the visitors; to listen to the enthusiastic compliments, to the exclamations, to the praise De stowed upon the youthful player.. Dazzled by Patron's Riches. How dazzling is the luster of wealth! As tutor I worked earnestly and faith fully to hold the devotion of my pupils to their teacher and the!( work. How well I succeeded Is plain from the many years of my long tutorage. During the Summer months I taught them by cor respondence, and my relations with the family were of the best. I was then a young man with ti.o proverbial enthus iasm of the Greek, and I was slowly but surely winning for myself an illustrious career. At .Chautauqua I had charge of the de partment of Greek language and latera turei My books, "The Language of the Greeks" and "Talks with Aesop," were followed by my "History of Greece from the Earliest Times to the Present" adopted as a textbook by the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Association. My school, the New York School of Languages, was patronized' by leading families. I counted among my pupils not only the Rockefellers, but the Slaybacks, the Scribners, the family of Jay Gould, ministers, professional men, teachers, bankers, one and all, attended my school to study Greek, Latin, English, French, Spanish. Talks Nothing but Money. ' I looked forward to a life of inde pendence and of literary reputation, when I received an Invitation from Mr. John D. Rockefeller -to meet him a cer tain evening at the Buckingham hotel, where he then resided. I found him at the basement of the hotel. In an isolated part, all by himself, enjoying a bowl of milk and crackers. He was suaslve, kind, expansive and friendly. He seemed to be Interested in my work, prospects and progress, and In return I was pleased with the personal concern which he took In my welfare. It was then that I asked him to accept the dedication of. my forthcoming book. "Greece in the Times of Homer," for which compliment he was overjoyed, and be continued to ask me as to my income and prospects. I tried my best to interest- him in other matters, turning the subject of conversa tion to a different theme, but I qulckly noticed that travel, literature, pictures, or books had no charm for the old man. It was nothing but money, money, money. My mind began to whirl, and I was, so to speak, intoxicated, fascinated, yes, fascinated, by his description of the power of money. Eyes Seem to Hypnotize. As I listened to his marvelous story of the exchange I was persuaded that It was an inexhaustible ocean, flowing with gold, sliver and dollars, out of which any man could become sooner or later a multi-millionaire. It is beyond me to describe accurately my mental, condition as I listened to Mr. Rockefeller, not only on that memorable evening, but on different other occasions. It was difficult at times to ' understand his meaning, as his allusions were not always "clear. Frequently I could not catch the drift - of his discourse. It BONAPARTES HAVE PROSECUTED DUPONTS A CENTURY ROMANCE OF HISTORY BEGINNING WITH NAPOLEON I. NOW CONTINUED, BY HIS DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN GRAND NEPHEW IT IS an odd freak of fate that for the past 100 years a Bonaparte has been harassing and persecuting the du Pont de Neumours, says the Brooklyn Eagle. From Napoleon I. to Charles Joseph Bona parte, Attorney-General of the United States, and from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours to Henry Algernon du Pont, United States Senator from Delaware is the cry of a century, yet Napoleon I. drove Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours and his family from France for political reasons, and Charles Joseph Bonaparte is today prosecuting, in the name of th United States, Henry Algernon du Pont and his family as the head and front of the powder trust. It would not be strange if the house of du Pont - de Nemours sometimes wondered if there is ever to be any rest for It from the house of Bona parte. This page of romance In the powder trust suit has thus far escaped the eye of critical observers. . It is not forgot ten, however, in the family of du Pont, and It is doubtful if the family of Bona parte is unmindful of it. It is an unique situation because, Charles Joseph Bona parte la the first man In the history of the United States admittedly of the blood of a royal house of Europe who has held a high position in the Government of this republic. Of course It Is not to be supposed that Attorney-General Bonaparte has entered upon the prosecution of Senator du Pont and his family which is the powder trust because of the political quarrels of his great uncle with the great-great-grandfather of the Senator. Both families have taken their place in America and have demonstrated their right by highly honor able deeds to be called thoroughly Ameri- The transplanted branches of the du Pont de " Nemours have dropped the French affix of de Nemours. The family through Its powder mills, now brought Into prominence by reason of the gov ernment's suit against the powder trust, has furnished the United States with powder for every war since 1800. Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont, of the United States Navy, was a grandson of the first Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours; Colonel Henry Algernon du Pont, .the present Senator from Delaware, began his career at West Point in 1866 and only severed his connection with the Army in 1875, after he had been brevetted Major and Lieutenant-Colonel for meritorious service on the field of battle and won be sides medals of . honor voted to him by Congress. Politically he achieved the dis tinction of eliminating from Delaware politics J. Edward ("Gas") Addlcks, for which he should have had another medal from the people of that state. - On the other hand Ae Bonaparte fam ily In America has been principally con fined to the Attorney-General himself. He was too young to serve In the Civil War and his record Is on the civilian side of life in the United States, but his seemed as If there was no sum or sub stance In his suggestions. He would now and then cast furtive glances upon me, again watch me sharply, and when I felt his piercing glance I could not free my self from a sort of uncomfortable sensa tion ..that crept, over me. He was quick to notice my misgivings and his features would then relax, as well as the stress of his arguments, while his broad mouth would loosen as If about to smile. Rockefeller Not Great Man. At times I was attracted by some mys terious or invisible power toward him, and again I was driven away by his steady pressure.' There was not much cohesion or consecutive and unbroken stability to his arguments or conversa tions. He passed quickly from one sub ject to another. He was anxious to trust me, but would I prove myself worthy of his confidence? Could he trust me, trust me implicitly? Most ofton I would remain silent, ab sorbed In my own thoughts, somehow at tracted toward him by pity, because he looked at times so weak, so miserable, so dejected. . " , I did not then know Mr.. Rockefeller as I have known him since. Most people anyhow, some people be lieve that Mr. Rockefeller is "a great man." .1 have known him for a number of years, I ate at his table, f slept at his house, I walked with him, I dealt with him, and I find nothing to substan tiate the opinion entertained about him. Circumstances, more than anything else, have made Rockefeller what he i. If a man Is great because he Is money mad. If a man Is great because he drear. s of dollars, sees dollars In the air, thinks heaven to be a beautiful place because It reminds him of the color of silver. If a man is "great because he has an almost Idolatrous worship of gold, then John D. Rockefeller is truly a great man! Rogers Genius of Standard. But strip Rockefeller of his wealth! Books he despises, education he has lit tle. Geography, history, painting, phil osophy, are little known to him. It Is not to be supposed that a man of Mr. Rockefeller's ability could ever cre ate a business of such vast proportions as the Standard Oil Company, the equal of which the world has not as yet pro duced in any other line of achievement. The Standard Oil Company Is the con ception of H. H. Rogers, a man of genius. Once it was my good fortune to attend a meeting of the directors of the Stan dard Oil Company. The meeting was held in an ordinary sized room in- the well-known building of the Standard Oil Company in New York. I would rather attend such a meeting with H. H. Rogers in it than be present at the assembly of the ministers of the proudest and great est potentate upon the earth. My business was connected with the export o"f oil In Greece and Turkey. H. H. Rogers knew the geography, the re sources, the distance to be traversed, the wealth of the islands In the Aegean and the lionian Seas, and he discussed and propounded the possibilities of suc cess as if he were speaking of Albany or Philadelphia. Rogers' Word Always Law. As for Mr. Rockefeller, he sat calm and imperturbable, gazing upon the celling and . now and then nodding assent. It was the meeting of Rogers, held by Rog ers, to do as Rogers saw fit. His word was law. What he said, it was done. Success, Mr. Rockefeller once told me, is achieved by keeping the mouth closed and the ears open. He gave me to un position is as high and as honorable as that of any Individual member of the family of du Pont de Nemours. He is a lawyer of distinction, as at tested by the office he now holds; he was an ardent supporter of civil service when that adjunct Of present-day politics was far more unpopular than it is now; as an authority on social subjects his opin ions have long been sought and listened to with attention. That he is a king's grandson and a grand-nephew of the great Napoleon is a subject rarely dis cussed by him. Although a connoisseur of Napoleonic relics, with which his home in Baltimore is well stocked, he has never crossed the iSea to look upon the home of his paternal ancestors. When about to' enter the Cabinet of President Roosevelt two years ago a vis itor to Mr. Bonaparte said: "It-is something of an omen that the grandson of a king should go into the Cabinet of a President of the United States." " "Well ha, ha! there may be some persons ha, ha! "who attach impor tance to that sort of thing, but ha, ha! I don't pay much attention to ha, ha, ha! it," laughingly rejoined Mr. Bonaparte. If the family of Du Pont de Nemours recalls that fact with viv idness, the sentiment expressed by Mr. Bonaparte's visitor may be said to have been somewhat prophetic In this Instance, at least Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours is the starting "point of the Du Pont family in America, as he is the ances tor whose deeds are held In high rev erence by the members of that family. He first visited America in 1798, be cause of the activity of the Jacobins, and did not return to France again until 1802. Napoleon's unexpected re turn from the Island of Elba, whence he had gone after his first abdication, again caused Pierre Samuer to come to America, he, during the absence of Napoleon, having been highly instru mental in securing the return of the Bourbons to the throne of France. He died In this country in 1817, never having again returned to his native land. In the possession of the Du Pont family. In' pamphlet form, is his obituary notice, published In the Philadelphia Dally Aurora, on August 11, 1817, which sets forth his interest ing activities during the crucial period of French history, and indicates the lack of sympathy entertained by the family of Du Pont with the personality and deeds of Napoleon I. It was not until 1808 that Jerome Bonaparte, grandfather of Charles Jo seph Bonaparte and younger brother of Napoleon I, came to the United States. At that time he was an officer of the French navy, where he had been put by Napoleon who, disappointed time and tlma again by tha failures of the derstand that I had It in my power to become a rich man, not by the slow pro cess of writing books, but by becoming acquainted with the secrets, the business plans, and the mode of life or the men with whom I came In contact. Such a knowledge would harm nobody and might greatly benefit me. "I shall make a barrel of money" it was his pet expression ex-ery time we met "a barrel of money for you,- if you will but follow my plans and suggestions. It is a campaign we have to start a campaign which will . bring barrels of money." This, then, was the campaign which it took meetings upon meetings to unfold; this was the plan, the work which I was to perform, this was the assistance and co-operation which I was to give to find out in a diplomatic manner the se crets of my prominent pupils and com municate them to him from time to time. Seeks Coin by Stealth! He was now a different man. He was no longer pensive, dejected and sorrow ful. He threw out his' arms, ntretched his long legs, again and again extended his arms as If gathering uollars from the air, rubbing his hands In glee, patted me upon the shoulder, while he taught me my lesson. "Be careful, careful," he kept on saying. "Learn all your can, and be careful. The men with whom you have to deal are sus picious, alert, and men of experience. Be careful. If once they suspect that you are curious, or bent upon Information, the day Is lost," and with the word "lost" ho clinched his hand, brought It heavily upon the table, and his countenance darkened. In the course of time Mr. Rockefeller made good use of me, , because I Im parted to him valuable and useful In formation. From other sources he knew the inner life, habits and plans of financial op ponents. As a detective I was a success, for Mr. Rockefeller assured me that I was doing better than others to whom he paid good money. Now and then we were joined in the course of our promenade toward Central Park by a middle aged man, small of stature, with heavy eyebrows, a drooping mustache, whose face, manner, and talk and dress suggested the detective. Kept Big Secret Service. , I suspect that Mr. Rockefeller spent an nually a large sum of money upon a perfect system of espionage, which en abled him to learn the secrets of his rivals and their "escapades," for from some mysterious source be knew often In advance what was likely to take place In New York, Washington, Albany, San Francisco, as well as the profits or losses sustained by prominent men in the financial world, and many other startling secrets affecting the life of ' men since dead or now. retired from the turmoil of active life. I knew Jay Gould, and, after careful and strenuous efforts, I was once told by him to publish, as coming from authentic sources, that the bonds of the Texas-Pacific would nave a sharp ad vance, but no sooner were the words out of his mouth than, with his piercing, shining and smllling eyes he cautioned me not to throw money away In buying them. At another time, when the market was panicky,-' when stocks were tumbling, when everybody was disheartened,- Mr. Jay Gould told me to buy on a certain day, in the afternoon, his Western Union, which I did, and profited thereby. Disgusted Working as Spy. All this information and all I could gather, beside, I Imparted to Mr. Rocke feller. Meantime, I succeeded in winning the French arms at sea, had determined to infuse some of his own blood into it in the hope of turning the fortunes of war In that direction against his pow erful adversaries. Jerome went to Baltimore, and there met and fell in love with Miss Eliza beth Patterson, the daughter of an Irish shipowner of that city. Mr. Pat terson was then the richest man In Baltimore, and his great-grandson, the present Attorney-General, Is now the largest real estate owner of that city, as a result of his heritage. Jerome first met Miss Patterson at a ball. He was 19 years of age and she only 18. They fell in love. Jerome proposed marriage, but Mr. Patterson was un willing and sent his daughter away to Maryland.. Jerome persisted, and final ly married the young heiress. When the news of this marriage reached the great Napoleon, he went into one of those furious rages which are sometimes recounted in the mem oirs of his time. He ordered Jerome to leave his bride and come home. Jerome held out against his brother for two years and declined to ask the Emperor's pardon. In 1805 he sailed for Lisbon with his bride on one of Mr. Patterson's ships. There one of Napoleon's warships intercepted them, Jerome was hurried oft to Paris and Madame Bonaparte was detained on her father's vessel, Napoleon having owed she should never set foot on soil ruled by France. Determined to rejoin her husband, Madame Bonaparte sailed for Holland, only to be Inter cepted again by French men-of-war, which seemed more vigilant in affairs of( love than In war. She went from there to England, to be received by a great crowd of people, and a regiment of soldiery turned out to preserve order. In England, Madame Bonaparte bore Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, the father of Charles Joseph Bonaparte. In the meantime Napoleon failed to Induce the pope to dissolve Jerome's marriage to Miss Patterson, and he thereupon compelled the Imperial Council to or der a decree of divorce. Then Jerome ma-Tried Princess Cath erine Frederlca. daughter of the King of Wurtemberg, and in the same year. 1807. ascended the throne of West phalia, which crown he wore until 1813. Napoleon had won his point and another of his family occupied a throne in Europe. Heartbroken, Madame Bonaparte re turned with her son to America. Time and again she tried to have her son, the father of the present Attorney General, legitimatized in France. She was a woman remarkable for her cour age and . determination and business ability. She died in Baltimore at an friendship and .-confidence of the vice president of- a famous financial institu tion. He was an almost Inexhaustible fountain of information, financial and otherwise, of deeds and misdeeds, of plots and counter plots, all of which I duly imparted to Mr. Rockefeller, who rubbed his hands and chuckled with joy. I confess that I was disgusted with my self, and I was pining for that barrel of money. I knew that John D. Rockefeller bad me at his mercy. He had only to whisper one word to the many men of prominence who held me in esteem, who honored me with their friendship and . confidence, and my days of usefulness were over. The more I thought of my position the more desperate I grew. My only hope of escape seemed to stick to Rockefeller, to work for him, to do all his dirty work, to risk everything for that barrel of money, and then to leave the country. The time at last came when all my sources of Information gave out. It was then that Mr. Rockefeller asked me about my money, how much I had, about my Income. I gave him accurate information. He urged me to turn every thing I could into cash, to get cash, to be sure to get cash, to have plenty of cash, and to buy his oil certificates. He told me to Interest one or two friends In my project, but to be careful not to whisper his name, only I could say that my rela tions with htm were of the best, and. In the meantime, to buy his oil certificates, and to make such arrangements with my friends as I deemed best. Turned Everything Into Oil. I watched the ticker for a day or two. and I saw that the price of oil held steady, and I then bought, and bought, and bought, heavily id persistently. I bought and the price declined; I bought more, and still the price de clined. I turned everything I had into cash. , x sold my right, title and inter est in my "History of Greece,' and with the money I bought again, and still the price declined and declined. I sold my school, bought again; and still the price declined. The time came when I found myself with nothing except the Bcanty income derived from my book, "Greece In the Times of Homer," which I had dedi cated to Mr. Rockefeller, and to this I clun;r, unwilling to part with it fo, fear of dlspleasit g him! In my despair I called to see Mr. Rockefeller, but I was told that he had gone to Cleveland, to his Summer home. What could I do? I decided to go there, and there I went as fast as the train could carry 'me. Mr. Rockefeller was not at home when, dusty, tired, I reached' my des tination. Mrs. Rockefeller and my pupils ex tended to me a hearty welcome. I was shown to my room, and no efforts were spared on her part to make me as com fortable as possible. Greeted Coldly by Magnate. It was cbout 6 o'clock in the even ing when I came down from my room in 'answer to the bell for the evening meal. Mr. Rockefeller had arrived a short time before, and when he saw me he satuted me O, how differently from the cordial and engaging manner of his wife. Mr. Rockefeller extended to me his hand, which was cold and clammy, al most lifeless, and never once grasped mine, but let it lie motionless In my palm. I vdid not grasp his, either, and our hands dropped simultaneously as they came in contact one with the other. He sat directly opposite me, across the table, - and when all were seated advanced age. Finally, under the regime of Napoleon III, the French government. In spite of Jerome's efforts to prevent it, recognized the legiti macy of Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte. . Attorney-General Bonaparte is the second of two sons born to Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte. When about to be graduated from Harvard In 1871 he planned a trip around the world. At that Inopportune moment his father died and upon him devolved the settle ment of the estate. His brother was In France; France was in the throes of the Franco-Prussian War, and not only did he abandon his trip around the world, but was prevented by this circumstance from joining his brother. Since then Mr. Bonaparte has never even planned a trip across the sea. While Napoleon I, Jerome and Madame Bonaparte were engaged In their unfor tunate controversy over the marriage of the latter . couple, Eleuthere, Irene du Pont de Nemours, eldest son of Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours, who had ac companied his father to America, was engaged in founding the powder trust. Eleuthere was already a chemist of re pute, having worked under the tutelage of Laveisler. the noted French chemist. At Newport he became acquainted with military men and listened to their com plaints of the poor powder used by the army. Pressed by lack of finances he grasped at the Idea held out to him. Eleu there du Pont went to Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, and a friend of his father. Jefferson held out small encouragement to the proposed en terprise, but not to be outdone, Eleuthere went to France and brought back to Wil mington, Del., the latest improved ma chinery for the manufacture of powder. Here he established the first powder mills of the du Ponts and they are still in op eration. Prosperity dawned upon the project at the outset. By 1810 the capital of the plant was $75,000 and employed thirty-six men. During the war of 1812 the Govern ment brought its entire output and out side capital was offered to increase the size of the plant With characteristic du Font independence Eleuthere declined the proferred aid and In 1812 undertook the construction of the Upper Hagley mills with money raised in the family. Thirteen years later, out of the profits from the sale of powder, the lower Hag ley mills' were built. When he died in 1S34 Eleuthere left a well established busi ness to his son Alfred. Under Alfred the business continued in unbroken prosperity and in 1838 was fur ther enlarged by the construction of the lower Brandywlne mills. When Alfred died in 1850 his uncle. General. Henry du Pont became the head of the concern, where he remained until 1889. During his regime the enormous profits earned by the powder mills during the CivH War passed into the du Pont coffers. Aftar he bowed his head and offered a short prayer. The meal consisted of cold water, milk, tea, cold lamb, and apple sauce. Mr. Rockefeller, who was dyspeptic, had his usual bowl of milk, dry toast, a cup of weak tea. and perhaps a mouthful of cold meat. There was no animation, no conversation, no laughter or merriment during the short time we sat around the table. No Chance to Inquire. After the meal Mr. Rockefeller took the evening paper, Mrs. Rooefeller nursed her sore tooth, John Rockefeller, Jr., occupied himself with the family cat, Alta and Edith sat by the window, gazing musingly upon the starry sky; Miss Spellman busied herself with a magazine, the master of the . house stretched himself upon the sofa and yawned and yawned, as he turned page after page of his newspaper, and Miss Bessie, the most studious of all the daughters, and with a disposition an gelic as her mother's, enumerated to me her difficulties with Latin and French composition, and thus the even ing passed without my having had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Rocke feller, whose cold, distant manner in creased my despair. - But. thank goodness, there was no muilc, for I feared lest the kind Mrs. Rockefeller might add music to the burden I carried within me. About 9 o'clock the seance ceased, and each retired to his respective room. In the morning we again asrembled around the festive board. We had cold water, as usual; coffee, hash, rolls; and the. master warm milk, toast, and boiled eggs. Thanks God Tor Power. But before taking our seats around the table Mr. Rockefeller unexpected ly at least for me precipitated him self upon the floor, stretched his long and ungainly legs as far as he could, burled his face within both hands, leaned upon the sofa, and offered a prayer, during which he thanked the Lord for the power which the omnipo tent God gave him to overcome his enemies,' thanked the supreme power for his dally bread, etc., etc. The morning prayer was longer than the prayer preceding the evening meal. Mr. Rockefeller wore no coat, and coatless he took his usual seat of the evening before. ' I tried my best to relieve the gloomy sllenae. but it was useless, for I was answered in short monosyllables, from the fact that my pupils were taught to eat In silence. Breakfast over. Mr. Rockefeller said: "Mamma, I shall be home for supper only." He addresses his wife by the word "mamma," and she, in turn, calls him "papa." With these words he arose, donned his coat and left the house. I epent a good part of the day roaming about the magnificent grounds surrounding the really peerless and enchanting Summer home, nestling amid a scenery as majestic as it is Inspiring. About noon I returned to the house with a good appetite and spirits, too. The table was decorated with fresh and fragrant flowers, and there was some animation during the meal, which consisted of cold water, as always, soup, steak, vegetables, tea, pie and pudding. I did full Justice to the meal, teased my pupils for their unusual' hilarity, which increased their merri ment, and, in a word, we had a good time, which especially pleased Airs. 1SS9 Eugene du Pont, who died in 1900, as sumed control and following him came T. Coleman du Pont, a cousin of the present Senator T. Coleman du Pont Is still head of the powder trust and until his election as Senator was ably assisted by Colonel Henry Algernon du Pont. Other members of the Du Pont family actively engaged In the powder trust in clude Alexis du Pont, Alfred L. du Pont, Eugene du Pont, E. C. du Pont, Irene du Pont, H. F. du Pont. P. S. du Pont, F. I. du Pont, T. C. .du Pont and Victor du Pont, Jr. Of all the individual defendants named by the government In fcs' suit against the powder trust for combination "illegally in restraint of trade," only six names other than du Pont appear. There never has been a time when a du Pont was not head of the- powder trust, and there probably never will be a time when a du Pont will not be head of the leading companies engaged in the powder busi ness In the United States. So far as is known the relations be tween Attorney-General Charles Jerome Bonaparte and the members of the du Pont Nemours family have always been cordial and pleasant. In the present contest the one is discharging an official duty according to his conscience, and the other is defending a family heritage. It is possible that the same motives inspired Napoleon I and Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours In France more than a cen tury ago when the first conflict between the houses of Bonaparte and du Pont re sulted in the expatriation of the latter. POEMS WORTH READING. Recognition. They wander by the sad sea waves In loving fancy free, Ona little favor all ha craves; "Ah, sweet, remember me! "When Bummer breezes kiss the flower. When Winter blaats the tree, I only ask In such an hour That you'll remember ma!" a Just one short month slips by once more In Broadway's dizzy maze Behind the counter in a store , She meets his loving gaze. And looking at her erstwhile flame With true patrician vim She turns aside with scorn and shame She has remembered htm! LA TOUCHE HANCOCK. Pledses. I. The poppy leaf, the balm, the rue, The dark flower of remembrance, too. Are blended In this draught for you. With all the grace of vanished years Their pain, their laughter, and their tears. II; Ariel, Eros, brim for you Chalices of silver dew. With the moonlight smitten' through; Morning brings your trembling gleam. Twilight lends your dusky dream. All things mystical and fair Of the earth and sea and air All the body's ripest flower. All the spirit's richest dower. Here are mingled offered up In love'a fragile crystal cup. ADA FOSTER MURRAT. A Question or Affinity. Smart Set. "Uncle Bill, what is an affinity?" "Oh, 'most anybody that you are not married to, Willie." Rockefeller and infused a ray of light Into the silent and gloomy surround ings. No Interest in Religion. About 4 in the afternoon Mr.- Rocke feller returned, not in good spirits and apparently suffering more than was his custom from dyspepsia. He looked at me with Indifference, and I, lh return, eyed him with unconcern. I do not know how the conversation soon afterward turned to matters of religion. After supper, a mere repetition of the one already described, the conver sation gradually became more interest ing, and we touched upon the low and humble origin of Christ. This brought about the subject of poverty, fhe vari ous sorts and conditions of men; in fact, the elements that' composed so ciety. Mr. Rockefeller yawned and yawned, and looked at me with eyes which lacked Interest. I explained to my pupils how vulgar ity was to be avoided and despised, or how, regardless of how poor and low a man may be, he's a man after all. de serving polite treatment. I placed the vulgar among the lowest of the low, I grew eloquent and fervid as I urged upon my pupils to be good and kind for the sake of goodness Itself, and I explained how ignorance may be for given, but vulgarity never. Lash Stings Oil King. Mr. Rockefeller shifted nervously about In his seat, and I grew more elo quent as I lashed, without stint, vul garity and the vulgar. When I had finished Mr. Rockefeller looked at me for a minute or two, and then, in a harsh tone of voice, asked: "When I Intended to relievo " he stopped short as I turned my eyes upon him, stopped for Just a minute, and then continued In his cold and de liberate manner of speech "I mean, professor, how long do you Intend to stay with us, for I really think " I was at once upon my feet, not giv ing him time or opportunity to finish, fully realizing the Importance of quick action on my part. "I came here uninvited, sir, because of a business matter which weighs heavily upon me, and for which you are responsible. I mean, sir, to have you act Justly toward me. and you shall be relieved of my presence Just as soon as I have your answer as to the matter which has brought me here." Walks With Money-JIad Man. Never before have I seen Rockefeller so hesitating, so uneasy, so uncomfort able, and I said: "It Is now, perhaps, late, sir, to discuss business matters; so I ask you to tell me now" with em phasis upon the word "now" "if you will be at leisure, tomorrow." Mr. Rockefeller broke in: "Tomorrow la Saturday" "Yes. sir. and I ask if it will be agree able to you, sir. to grant me an Inter view tomorrow." "I think you exaggerate the importance of your troubles." Mr. Rockefeller said, as an evanescent smile flatted over his wan countenance. "We shall go for a walk together tomorrow. In the forenoon, and I hope you will feel better after ward." "I hope so. sir, for I will be glad to think well of you. It all depends upon you, sir." And with these words I bade good night to all and retired to my room. Breakfast over the next morning. Mr. Rockefeller asked me . If it would be agreeable to take a walk with him, and I readily accepted this invitation. We started in silence, and walked and walked until we found ourselves In a se cluded spot, where at last I had the op portunity to unbosom myself. Talks Only In Millions. It was the last Interview that I ever had with Mr. Rockefeller. "Well, this Is a nice spot to rest," ha said, as he sat down. "It will do very well," I replied, and then, calmly, slowly, but emphatically. I told him of my losses, how I contracted debts which I was unable to satisfy, how I bought and bought his oil upon his ad vice, how. In a word, I was reduced to poverty and I drew before him the un utterable future awaiting, perhaps, my sisters In faraway Smyrna, whose sup port I was. I told the man how I parted with my school and books and library, and I appealed to him, as a friend, to advise me what to do. He sat silent, unmoved, imperturbable, as he listened to my outburst. "I really can do nothing for you," he said. "I am sorry, but I lost millions, yes, millions, believe me, professor, T lost millions where you only lost thou sands. I need all my resources to save myself. I have to have every day, yes, every day, millions to fight my enemler successfully I need millions." orfers Pittance if Secured. "Stop, man!" I cried out in despair. "Stop talking about your millions. There remains to me but one course to pursue, il shall tell everything." I quickly turned upon my heels to go. but Mr. Rockefeller halted me. "Have you really lost everything?" he asked, "have you no security to offer?" "I told you, sir, how I lost everything. I told you what obligations I contracted. I told you that I only hold the copyright to my 'Greece in the Times of Homer.' It Is the only asset that I have. It Is not I much, but I shall gladly assign It to you in return for your aid. What I ask Is only a loan. You will collect the royalties, and, . when you are paid, then, and only then, you may turn over to me the author's right to the book again." Mr. Rockefeller, the multi-millionaire. the man whose annual Income would more than suffice to feed and clothe all the poor and destitute in the great State of New York, the man who could pay, perhaps, the cost of the recent war be tween Japan and Russia and still be well off, pleaded poverty and hard times, and finally agreed to loan to me upon my making over to him a full and complete assignment of my copyright In "Greece In the Times of Homer," $3300. not enough in itself to pay my obligations contracted upon his advice to buy his oil. Had to Borrow Himself. "But I shall have to borrow the money myself." he continued, "for I am hard up. I shall have to give you a letter which you will present to a friend who transacts my private business. You will find him on the fifth floor of the Stan dard OH building. He will prepare all legal papers, which you must sign. I shall have to pay 6 per cent for the money, and I shall not ask you to pay anything more than this for yourself, and I shall ask no bonus from you. "In the meantime, you will promise hot to speak one word as to what took place between us. I shall have the letter ready Just as soon as we return home, and you can start today for New York." I agreed, and we retraced our steps in silence. In due time, after returning to New York, I presented Mr. Rockefeller's let ter. I signed certain papers that were given me, not even taking the trouble to read them over, was given a check, anu I started for the street, once again to begin life anew. '