body, and in business when the latter was a clerk with his uncle, Col. John Peabody. Mr. Peabody was here in 1857, on the day of the Agricultural Fair, and was walking in the procession with the late Mayor Davenport, when he saw Mr. Spaulding on the sidewalk, and at once left the procession to greet him.

"Mr. Spaulding had rendered him the greatest of services. When Mr. Peabody left Newburyport, he was under age, and not worth a dollar. Mr. Spaulding gave him letters of credit in Boston, through which he obtained two thousand dollars' worth of merchandise of Mr. James Reed; and Mr. Reed was so favorably impressed with his appearance, that he subsequently gave him credit for a larger amount. This was his start in life, as he afterwards acknowledged; for at a public entertainment in Boston, when his credit was good for any amount, and in any part of the world, Mr. Peabody laid his hand on Mr. Reed's shoulder, and said to those present, My friends, here is my first patron; and he is the man who sold me my first bill of goods.' After he was established in Georgetown, D.C., the first consignment made to him was by the late Francis Todd of Newburyport. It was from these facts that Newburyport was always pleasant in his memory; and the donation he made to the Public Library was on his own suggestion, that he desired to do something of a public nature for our town."

6

The fact was, George Peabody loved to give, and was a grateful, appreciative man; and this chapter concerning

his early days cannot be better closed than by quoting one of the best things said by him,—spoken at the late reunion in his native town:

"It is sometimes hard for one, who has devoted the best part of his life to the accumulation of money, to spend it for others; but practise it, and keep on practising it, and I assure you it comes to be a pleasure.'

"Provide things honest in the sight of all men."-ROM. xii. 17.

HE burning of his brother's store in Newbury-
port left George Peabody without employment.
But he was not one to eat the bread of idleness.
He sought for employment; and his uncle, John

pe

Peabody, who had settled in Georgetown, adjoining the Federal capital, invited young George to become his commercial assistant. To the South, for the first time, he went; and there he tarried two years, managing with culiar ability a large part of the business, though still in his teens. His honesty was unquestionable, his tact unusual. Of course, he succeeded in winning friends and securing trade.

No wonder that he always felt an interest in the South. Thither he had gone when the avenue to business-success

seemed closed to him at the North by the misfortune of that great Newburyport fire; and, with his well-known gratitude, it is not strange, that, in after-years, to him the South was remembered more as the refuge of the young seeker after profitable employment than as the antipodes of the North. In those days, there was no North or South mentioned in contrast: but to him the vicinity of the Federal capital was as much a part of his native land as any other portion; and he loved it all. So the South became as a home to him; and he always looked back to Georgetown and its vicinity as a child looks back to the shelter and comfort of a father's roof.

Here the young merchant made many friends by his affability and consistent politeness. According to testimony gathered from those who knew him personally, Dr. Hanaford states, that,

"Unlike most persons in similar circumstances, — and, indeed, those possessing far less wealth and enjoying far less reputation, he never seemed to assume unusual importance, or demanded special favors. He was bland, social, and genial; indicating by his general manner a willingness to converse with those with whom he accidentally came in contact, yet never arrogating to himself the right to monopolize conversation. It seemed to be his wish to travel like other men, mingle with his fellows as an equal; manifesting a commendable retiring and modest spirit. At the station, if he wished attention, his baggage disposed of, he was willing to await his turn; manifesting no impatience,

and then saying that he had 'baggage to put in the room, when you are at liberty,' &c.; never manifesting by his manner that he claimed any special attention or favors: while he never failed to express his gratitude and acknowledgments for favors and attentions extended to him. Politeness seemed a special and remarkably prominent characteristic, manifested on what would be ordinarily regarded as unimportant occasions; yet he seemed to regard all occasions, while mingling with his fellows, as of sufficient importance to justify respectful consideration, and the manifestation of a refined politeness commanding the respect of all who knew him. It is probable that his success in business was attributable, in part at least, to his respectful bearing, his affability, and his general correctness of deportment.

"In this connection, it is proper to say that Mr. Peabody was a remarkable man in his intercourse with his fellows. It was the remark of a station-agent, one intimately acquainted with him, that he was a comfortable man to have around;' that he would be a 'popular man if he was not worth a dollar.' Though a man of large wealth,one who was the object of general admiration, not for his money only, but for his own sake, on whom many and distinguished honors were bestowed with a lavish hand,— he was apparently unconscious of remarkable merit.

"Mr. Peabody was scrupulously exact and punctual in the discharge of his obligations; not only those relating to his financial transactions, but personal obligations, those con