acres of diamonds-第6部分

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　pay　the　interest　on　his　money。　　So　he　foreclosed　that　mortgage；　took　possession　of　the　store；　and　went　into　partnership　with　the　very　same　people；　in　the　same　store；　with　the　same　capital。　　He　did　not　give　them　a　dollar　of　capital。　　They　had　to　sell　goods　to　get　any　money。　　Then　he　left　them　alone　in　the　store　just　as　they　had　been　before；　and　he　went　out　and　sat　down　on　a　bench　in　the　park　in　the　shade。　　What　was　John　Jacob　Astor　doing　out　there；　and　in　partnership　with　people　who　had　failed　on　his　own　hands？　　He　had　the　most　important　and；　to　my　mind；　the　most　pleasant　part　of　that　partnership　on　his　hands。　　For　as　John　Jacob　Astor　sat　on　that　bench　he　was　watching　the　ladies　as　they　went　by；　and　where　is　the　man　who　would　not　get　rich　at　that　business？　　As　he　sat　on　the　bench　if　a　lady　passed　him　with　her　shoulders　back　and　head　up；　and　looked　straight　to　the　front；　as　if　she　did　not　care　if　all　the　world　did　gaze　on　her；　then　he　studied　her　bonnet；　and　by　the　time　it　was　out　of　sight　he　knew　the　shape　of　the　frame；　the　color　of　the　trimmings；　and　the　crinklings　in　the　feather。　　I　sometimes　try　to　describe　a　bonnet；　but　not　always。　　I　would　not　try　to　describe　a　modern　bonnet。　　Where　is　the　man　that　could　describe　one？　　This　aggregation　of　all　sorts　of　driftwood　stuck　on　the　back　of　the　head；　or　the　side　of　the　neck；　like　a　rooster　with　only　one　tail　feather　left。　　But　in　John　Jacob　Astor's　day　there　was　some　art　about　the　millinery　business；　and　he　went　to　the　millinery…store　and　said　to　them：　　‘‘Now　put　into　the　show…window　just　such　a　bonnet　as　I　describe　to　you；　because　I　have　already　seen　a　lady　who　likes　such　a　bonnet。　　Don't　make　up　any　more　until　I　come　back。''　　Then　he　went　out　and　sat　down　again；　and　another　lady　passed　him　of　a　different　form；　of　different　complexion；　with　a　different　shape　and　color　of　bonnet。　　‘‘Now；''　said　he；　‘‘put　such　a　bonnet　as　that　in　the　show　window。''　　He　did　not　fill　his　show…window　up　town　with　a　lot　of　hats　and　bonnets　to　drive　people　away；　and　then　sit　on　the　back　stairs　and　bawl　because　people　went　to　Wanamaker's　to　trade。　　He　did　not　have　a　hat　or　a　bonnet　in　that　show…window　but　what　some　lady　liked　before　it　was　made　up。　　The　tide　of　custom　began　immediately　to　turn　in；　and　that　has　been　the　foundation　of　the　greatest　store　in　New　York　in　that　line；　and　still　exists　as　one　of　three　stores。　　Its　fortune　was　made　by　John　Jacob　Astor　after　they　had　failed　in　business；　not　by　giving　them　any　more　money；　but　by　finding　out　what　the　ladies　liked　for　bonnets　before　they　wasted　any　material　in　making　them　up。　　I　tell　you　if　a　man　could　foresee　the　millinery　business　he　could　foresee　anything　under　heaven！

Suppose　I　were　to　go　through　this　audience　to…night　and　ask　you　in　this　great　manufacturing　city　if　there　are　not　opportunities　to　get　rich　in　manufacturing。　　‘‘Oh　yes；''　some　young　man　says；　‘‘there　are　opportunities　here　still　if　you　build　with　some　trust　and　if　you　have　two　or　three　millions　of　dollars　to　begin　with　as　capital。''　　Young　man；　the　history　of　the　breaking　up　of　the　trusts　by　that　attack　upon　‘‘big　business''　is　only　illustrating　what　is　now　the　opportunity　of　the　smaller　man。　　The　time　never　came　in　the　history　of　the　world　when　you　could　get　rich　so　quickly　manufacturing　without　capital　as　you　can　now。

But　you　will　say；　‘‘You　cannot　do　anything　of　the　kind。　　You　cannot　start　without　capital。''　　Young　man；　let　me　illustrate　for　a　moment。　　I　must　do　it。　　It　is　my　duty　to　every　young　man　and　woman；　because　we　are　all　going　into　business　very　soon　on　the　same　plan。　　Young　man；　remember　if　you　know　what　people　need　you　have　gotten　more　knowledge　of　a　fortune　than　any　amount　of　capital　can　give　you。

There　was　a　poor　man　out　of　work　living　in　Hingham；　Massachusetts。　　He　lounged　around　the　house　until　one　day　his　wife　told　him　to　get　out　and　work；　and；　as　he　lived　in　Massachusetts；　he　obeyed　his　wife。　　He　went　out　and　sat　down　on　the　shore　of　the　bay；　and　whittled　a　soaked　shingle　into　a　wooden　chain。　　His　children　that　evening　quarreled　over　it；　and　he　whittled　a　second　one　to　keep　peace。　　While　he　was　whittling　the　second　one　a　neighbor　came　in　and　said：　　‘‘Why　don't　you　whittle　toys　and　sell　them？　　You　could　make　money　at　that。''　　‘‘Oh；''　he　said；　‘‘I　would　not　know　what　to　make。''　　‘‘Why　don't　you　ask　your　own　children　right　here　in　your　own　house　what　to　make？''　　‘‘What　is　the　use　of　trying　that？''　said　the　carpenter。　　‘‘My　children　are　different　from　other　people's　children。''　　（I　used　to　see　people　like　that　when　I　taught　school。）　　But　he　acted　upon　the　hint；　and　the　next　morning　when　Mary　came　down　the　stairway；　he　asked；　‘‘What　do　you　want　for　a　toy？''　　She　began　to　tell　him　she　would　like　a　doll's　bed；　a　doll's　washstand；　a　doll's　carriage；　a　little　doll's　umbrella；　and　went　on　with　a　list　of　things　that　would　take　him　a　lifetime　to　supply。　　So；　consulting　his　own　children；　in　his　own　house；　he　took　the　firewood；　for　he　had　no　money　to　buy　lumber；　and　whittled　those　strong；　unpainted　Hingham　toys　that　were　for　so　many　years　known　all　over　the　world。　　That　man　began　to　make　those　toys　for　his　own　children；　and　then　made　copies　and　sold　them　through　the　boot…and…shoe　store　next　door。　　He　began　to　make　a　little　money；　and　then　a　little　more；　and　Mr。　Lawson；　in　his　_Frenzied　Finance_　says　that　man　is　the　richest　man　in　old　Massachusetts；　and　I　think　it　is　the　truth。　　And　that　man　is　worth　a　hundred　millions　of　dollars　to…day；　and　has　been　only　thirty…four　years　making　it　on　that　one　principlethat　one　must　judge　that　what　his　own　children　like　at　home　other　people's　children　would　like　in　their　homes；　too；　to　judge　the　human　heart　by　oneself；　by　one's　wife　or　by　one's　children。　　It　is　the　royal　road　to　success　in　manufacturing。　　‘‘Oh；''　but　you　say；　‘‘didn't　he　have　any　capital？''　　Yes；　a　penknife；　but　I　don't　know　that　he　had　paid　for　that。

I　spoke　thus　to　an　audience　in　New　Britain；　Connecticut；　and　a　lady　four　seats　back　went　home　and　tried　to　take　off　her　collar；　and　the　collar…　button　stuck　in　the　buttonhole。　　She　threw　it　out　and　said；　‘‘I　am　going　to　get　up　something　better　than　that　to　put　on　collars。''　　Her　husband　said：　　‘‘After　what　Conwell　said　to…night；　you　see　there　is　a　need　of　an　improved　collar…fastener　that　is　easier　to　handle。　　There　is　a　human　need；　there　is　a　great　fortune。　　Now；　then；　get　up　a　collar…button　and　get　rich。''　　He　made　fun　of　her；　and　consequently　made　fun　of　me；　and　that　is　one　of　the　saddest　things　which　comes　over　me　like　a　deep　cloud　of　midnight　sometimesalthough　I　have　worked　so　hard　for　more　than　half　a　century；　yet　how　little　I　have　ever　really　done。　　Notwithstanding　the　greatness　and　the　handsomeness　of　your　compliment　to…night；　I　do　not　believe　there　is　one　in　ten　of　you　that　is　going　to　make　a　million　of　dollars　because　you　are　here　to…night；　but　it　is　not　my　fault；　it　is　yours。　　I　say　that　sincerely。　　What　is　the　use　of　my　talking　if　people　never　do　what　I　advise　them　to　do？　　When　her　husband　ridiculed　her；　she　made　up　her　mind　she　would　make　a　better　collar…button；　and　when　a　woman　makes　up　her　mind　‘‘she　will；''　and　does　not　say　anything　about　it；　she　does　it。　　It　was　that　New　England　woman　who　invented　the　snap　button　which　you　can　find　anywhere　now。　　It　was　first　a　collar…button　with　a　spring　cap　attached　to　the　outer　side。　　Any　of　you　who　wear　modern　waterproofs　know　the　button　that　simply　pushes　together；　and　when　you　unbutton　it　you　simply　pull　it　apart。　　That　is　the　button　to　which　I　refer；　and　which　she　invented。　　She　afterward　invented　several　other　buttons；　and　then　invested　in　more；　and　then　was　taken　into　partnership　with　great　factories。　　Now　that　woman　goes　over　the　sea　every　summer　in　her　private　steamshipyes；　and　takes　her　husband　with　her！　　If　her　husband　were　to　die；　she　would　have　money　enough　left　now　to　buy　a　foreign　duke　or　count　or　some　such　title　as　that　at　the　latest　quotations。

Now　what　is　my　lesson　in　that　incident？　　It　is　this：　　I　told　her　then；　though　I　did　not　know　her；　what　I　now　say　to　you；　‘‘Your　wealth　is　too　near　to　you。　　You　are　looking　right　over　it''；　and　she　had　to　look　over　it　because　it　was　right　under　her　chin。

I　have　read　in　the　newspaper　that　a　woman　never　invented　anything。　　Well；　that　newspaper　ought　to　begin　again。　　Of　course；　I　do　not　refer　to　gossipI　refer　to　machinesand　if　I　did　I　might　better　include　the　men。　　That　newspaper　could　never　appear　if　women　had　not　invented　something。　　Friends；　think。　　Ye　women；　think！　　You　say　you　cannot　make　a　fortune　because　you　are　in　some　laundry；　or　running　a　sewing…machine；　it　may　be；　or　walking　before　some　loom；　and　yet　you　can　be　a　millionaire　if　you　will　but　follow　this　almost　infallible　direction。

When　you　say　a　woman　doesn't　invent　anything；　I　ask；　Who　invented　the　Jacquard　loom　that　wove　every　stitch　you　wear？　　Mrs。　Jacquard。　　The　printer's　roller；　the　printing…press；　were　invented　by　farmers'　wives。　　Who　invented　the　cotton…gin　of　the　South　that　enriched　our　country　so　amazingly？　　Mrs。　General　Greene　invented　the　cotton…　gin　and　showed　the　idea　to　Mr。　Whitney；　and　he；　like　a　man；　seized　it。　　Who　was　it　that　invented　the　sewing…machine？　　If　I　would　go　to　school　to…　morrow　and　ask　your　children　they　would　say；　‘‘Elias　Howe。''

He　was　in　the　Civil　War　with　me；　and　often　in　my　tent；　and　I　often　heard　him　say　that　he　worked　fourteen　years　to　get　up　that　sewing…machine。　　But　his　wife　made　up　her　mind　one　day　that　they　would　starve　to　death　if　there　wasn't　something　or　other　invented　pretty　soon；　and　so　in　two　hours　she　invented　the　sewing…machine。　　Of　course　he　took　out　the　patent　in　his　name。　　Men　always　do　that。　　Who　was　it　that　invented　the　mower　and　the　reaper？　　According　to　Mr。　McCormick's　confidential　communication；　so　recently　published；　it　was　a　West　Virginia　woman；　who；　after　his　father　and　he　had　failed　altogether　in　making　a　reaper　and　gave　it　up；　took　a　lot　of　shears　and　nailed　them　together　on　the　edge　of　a　board；　with　one　shaft　of　each　pair　loose；　and　then　wired　them　so　that　when　she　pulled　the　wire　one　way　it　closed　them；　and　when　she　pulled　the　wire　the　other　way　it　opened　them；　and　there　she　had　the　principle　of　the　mowing…machine。　　If　you　look　at　a　mowing…machine；　you　will　see　it　is　nothing　but　a　lot　of　shears。