acres of diamonds-第5部分

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ou　had　cared　you　would　be　a　rich　man　now。　　If　you　had　cared　enough　about　him　to　take　an　interest　in　his　affairs；　to　find　out　what　he　needed；　you　would　have　been　rich。　　But　you　go　through　the　world　saying；　‘‘No　opportunity　to　get　rich；''　and　there　is　the　fault　right　at　your　own　door。

But　another　young　man　gets　up　over　there　and　says；　‘‘I　cannot　take　up　the　mercantile　business。''　　（While　I　am　talking　of　trade　it　applies　to　every　occupation。）　　‘‘Why　can't　you　go　into　the　mercantile　business？''　　‘‘Because　I　haven't　any　capital。''　　Oh；　the　weak　and　dudish　creature　that　can't　see　over　its　collar！　　It　makes　a　person　weak　to　see　these　little　dudes　standing　around　the　corners　and　saying；　‘‘Oh；　if　I　had　plenty　of　capital；　how　rich　I　would　get。''　　‘‘Young　man；　do　you　think　you　are　going　to　get　rich　on　capital？''　　‘‘Certainly。''　　Well；　I　say；　‘‘Certainly　not。''　　If　your　mother　has　plenty　of　money；　and　she　will　set　you　up　in　business；　you　will　‘‘set　her　up　in　business；''　supplying　you　with　capital。

The　moment　a　young　man　or　woman　gets　more　money　than　he　or　she　has　grown　to　by　practical　experience；　that　moment　he　has　gotten　a　curse。　　It　is　no　help　to　a　young　man　or　woman　to　inherit　money。　　It　is　no　help　to　your　children　to　leave　them　money；　but　if　you　leave　them　education；　if　you　leave　them　Christian　and　noble　character；　if　you　leave　them　a　wide　circle　of　friends；　if　you　leave　them　an　honorable　name；　it　is　far　better　than　that　they　should　have　money。　　It　would　be　worse　for　them；　worse　for　the　nation；　that　they　should　have　any　money　at　all。　　Oh；　young　man；　if　you　have　inherited　money；　don't　regard　it　as　a　help。　　It　will　curse　you　through　your　years；　and　deprive　you　of　the　very　best　things　of　human　life。　　There　is　no　class　of　people　to　be　pitied　so　much　as　the　inexperienced　sons　and　daughters　of　the　rich　of　our　generation。　　I　pity　the　rich　man's　son。　　He　can　never　know　the　best　things　in　life。

One　of　the　best　things　in　our　life　is　when　a　young　man　has　earned　his　own　living；　and　when　he　becomes　engaged　to　some　lovely　young　woman；　and　makes　up　his　mind　to　have　a　home　of　his　own。　　Then　with　that　same　love　comes　also　that　divine　inspiration　toward　better　things；　and　he　begins　to　save　his　money。　　He　begins　to　leave　off　his　bad　habits　and　put　money　in　the　bank。　　When　he　has　a　few　hundred　dollars　he　goes　out　in　the　suburbs　to　look　for　a　home。　　He　goes　to　the　savings…bank；　perhaps；　for　half　of　the　value；　and　then　goes　for　his　wife；　and　when　he　takes　his　bride　over　the　threshold　of　that　door　for　the　first　time　he　says　in　words　of　eloquence　my　voice　can　never　touch：　　‘‘I　have　earned　this　home　myself。　　It　is　all　mine；　and　I　divide　with　thee。''　　That　is　the　grandest　moment　a　human　heart　may　ever　know。

But　a　rich　man's　son　can　never　know　that。　　He　takes　his　bride　into　a　finer　mansion；　it　may　be；　but　he　is　obliged　to　go　all　the　way　through　it　and　say　to　his　wife；　‘‘My　mother　gave　me　that；　my　mother　gave　me　that；　and　my　mother　gave　me　this；''　until　his　wife　wishes　she　had　married　his　mother。　　I　pity　the　rich　man's　son。

The　statistics　of　Massachusetts　showed　that　not　one　rich　man's　son　out　of　seventeen　ever　dies　rich。　　I　pity　the　rich　man's　sons　unless　they　have　the　good　sense　of　the　elder　Vanderbilt；　which　sometimes　happens。　　He　went　to　his　father　and　said；　‘‘Did　you　earn　all　your　money？''　　‘‘I　did；　my　son。　　I　began　to　work　on　a　ferry…boat　for　twenty…five　cents　a　day。''　　‘‘Then；''　said　his　son；　‘‘I　will　have　none　of　your　money；''　and　he；　too；　tried　to　get　employment　on　a　ferry…boat　that　Saturday　night。　　He　could　not　get　one　there；　but　he　did　get　a　place　for　three　dollars　a　week。　　Of　course；　if　a　rich　man's　son　will　do　that；　he　will　get　the　discipline　of　a　poor　boy　that　is　worth　more　than　a　university　education　to　any　man。　　He　would　then　be　able　to　take　care　of　the　millions　of　his　father。　　But　as　a　rule　the　rich　men　will　not　let　their　sons　do　the　very　thing　that　made　them　great。　　As　a　rule；　the　rich　man　will　not　allow　his　son　to　workand　his　mother！　　Why；　she　would　think　it　was　a　social　disgrace　if　her　poor；　weak；　little　lily…fingered；　sissy　sort　of　a　boy　had　to　earn　his　living　with　honest　toil。　　I　have　no　pity　for　such　rich　men's　sons。

I　remember　one　at　Niagara　Falls。　　I　think　I　remember　one　a　great　deal　nearer。　　I　think　there　are　gentlemen　present　who　were　at　a　great　banquet；　and　I　beg　pardon　of　his　friends。　　At　a　banquet　here　in　Philadelphia　there　sat　beside　me　a　kind…hearted　young　man；　and　he　said；　‘‘Mr。　Conwell；　you　have　been　sick　for　two　or　three　years。　　When　you　go　out；　take　my　limousine；　and　it　will　take　you　up　to　your　house　on　Broad　Street。''　　I　thanked　him　very　much；　and　perhaps　I　ought　not　to　mention　the　incident　in　this　way；　but　I　follow　the　facts。　　I　got　on　to　the　seat　with　the　driver　of　that　limousine；　outside；　and　when　we　were　going　up　I　asked　the　driver；　‘‘How　much　did　this　limousine　cost？''　　‘‘Six　thousand　eight　hundred；　and　he　had　to　pay　the　duty　on　it。''　　‘‘Well；''　I　said；　‘‘does　the　owner　of　this　machine　ever　drive　it　himself？''　　At　that　the　chauffeur　laughed　so　heartily　that　he　lost　control　of　his　machine。　　He　was　so　surprised　at　the　question　that　he　ran　up　on　the　sidewalk；　and　around　a　corner　lamp…post　out　into　the　street　again。　　And　when　he　got　out　into　the　street　he　laughed　till　the　whole　machine　trembled。　　He　said：　　‘‘He　drive　this　machine！　Oh；　he　would　be　lucky　if　he　knew　enough　to　get　out　when　we　get　there。''

I　must　tell　you　about　a　rich　man's　son　at　Niagara　Falls。　　I　came　in　from　the　lecture　to　the　hotel；　and　as　I　approached　the　desk　of　the　clerk　there　stood　a　millionaire's　son　from　New　York。　　He　was　an　indescribable　specimen　of　anthropologic　potency。　　He　had　a　skull…cap　on　one　side　of　his　head；　with　a　gold　tassel　in　the　top　of　it；　and　a　gold…headed　cane　under　his　arm　with　more　in　it　than　in　his　head。　　It　is　a　very　difficult　thing　to　describe　that　young　man。　　He　wore　an　eye…　glass　that　he　could　not　see　through；　patent…　leather　boots　that　he　could　not　walk　in；　and　pants　that　he　could　not　sit　down　indressed　like　a　grasshopper。　　This　human　cricket　came　up　to　the　clerk's　desk　just　as　I　entered；　adjusted　his　unseeing　eye…glass；　and　spake　in　this　wise　to　the　clerk。　　You　see；　he　thought　it　was　‘‘Hinglish；　you　know；''　to　lisp。　　‘‘Thir；　will　you　have　the　kindness　to　supply　me　with　thome　papah　and　enwelophs！''　　The　hotel　clerk　measured　that　man　quick；　and　he　pulled　the　envelopes　and　paper　out　of　a　drawer；　threw　them　across　the　counter　toward　the　young　man；　and　then　turned　away　to　his　books。　　You　should　have　seen　that　young　man　when　those　envelopes　came　across　that　counter。　　He　swelled　up　like　a　gobbler　turkey；　adjusted　his　unseeing　eye…　glass；　and　yelled：　　‘‘Come　right　back　here。　　Now　thir；　will　you　order　a　thervant　to　take　that　papah　and　enwelophs　to　yondah　dethk。''　　Oh；　the　poor；　miserable；　contemptible　American　monkey！　　He　could　not　carry　paper　and　envelopes　twenty　feet。　　I　suppose　he　could　not　get　his　arms　down　to　do　it。　　I　have　no　pity　for　such　travesties　upon　human　nature。　　If　you　have　not　capital；　young　man；　I　am　glad　of　it。　　What　you　need　is　common　sense；　not　copper　cents。

The　best　thing　I　can　do　is　to　illustrate　by　actual　facts　well…known　to　you　all。　　A。　T。　Stewart；　a　poor　boy　in　New　York；　had　1。50　to　begin　life　on。　　He　lost　87　　cents　of　that　on　the　very　first　venture。　　How　fortunate　that　young　man　who　loses　the　first　time　he　gambles。　　That　boy　said；　‘‘I　will　never　gamble　again　in　business；''　and　he　never　did。　　How　came　he　to　lose　87　　cents？　　You　probably　all　know　the　story　how　he　lost　itbecause　he　bought　some　needles；　threads；　and　buttons　to　sell　which　people　did　not　want；　and　had　them　left　on　his　hands；　a　dead　loss。　　Said　the　boy；　‘‘I　will　not　lose　any　more　money　in　that　way。''　　Then　he　went　around　first　to　the　doors　and　asked　the　people　what　they　did　want。　　Then　when　he　had　found　out　what　they　wanted　he　invested　his　62　　cents　to　supply　a　known　demand。　　Study　it　wherever　you　choosein　business；　in　your　profession；　in　your　housekeeping；　whatever　your　life；　that　one　thing　is　the　secret　of　success。　　You　must　first　know　the　demand。　　You　must　first　know　what　people　need；　and　then　invest　yourself　where　you　are　most　needed。　　A。　T。　Stewart　went　on　that　principle　until　he　was　worth　what　amounted　afterward　to　forty　millions　of　dollars；　owning　the　very　store　in　which　Mr。　Wanamaker　carries　on　his　great　work　in　New　York。　　His　fortune　was　made　by　his　losing　something；　which　taught　him　the　great　lesson　that　he　must　only　invest　himself　or　his　money　in　something　that　people　need。　　When　will　you　salesmen　learn　it？　　When　will　you　manufacturers　learn　that　you　must　know　the　changing　needs　of　humanity　if　you　would　succeed　in　life？　　Apply　yourselves；　all　you　Christian　people；　as　manufacturers　or　merchants　or　workmen　to　supply　that　human　need。　　It　is　a　great　principle　as　broad　as　humanity　and　as　deep　as　the　Scripture　itself。

The　best　illustration　I　ever　heard　was　of　John　Jacob　Astor。　　You　know　that　he　made　the　money　of　the　Astor　family　when　he　lived　in　New　York。　　He　came　across　the　sea　in　debt　for　his　fare。　　But　that　poor　boy　with　nothing　in　his　pocket　made　the　fortune　of　the　Astor　family　on　one　principle。　　Some　young　man　here　to…night　will　say；　‘‘Well　they　could　make　those　fortunes　over　in　New　York　but　they　could　not　do　it　in　Philadelphia！''　　My　friends；　did　you　ever　read　that　wonderful　book　of　Riis　（his　memory　is　sweet　to　us　because　of　his　recent　death）；　wherein　is　given　his　statistical　account　of　the　records　taken　in　1889　of　107　millionaires　of　New　York。　　If　you　read　the　account　you　will　see　that　out　of　the　107　millionaires　only　seven　made　their　money　in　New　York。　　Out　of　the　107　millionaires　worth　ten　million　dollars　in　real　estate　then；　67　of　them　made　their　money　in　towns　of　less　than　3；500　inhabitants。　　The　richest　man　in　this　country　to…day；　if　you　read　the　real…estate　values；　has　never　moved　away　from　a　town　of　3；500　inhabitants。　　It　makes　not　so　much　difference　where　you　are　as　who　you　are。　　But　if　you　cannot　get　rich　in　Philadelphia　you　certainly　cannot　do　it　in　New　York。

Now　John　Jacob　Astor　illustrated　what　can　be　done　anywhere。　　He　had　a　mortgage　once　on　a　millinery…store；　and　they　could　not　sell　bonnets　enough　to　pay　the　interest　on　his　money。　　So　he　foreclosed　that　mortgage；　took　possession　of　the　store；　and　w