the pioneer steel-maker of
Pittsburgh, James Park, a large lot of old rails which we could not
use. Mr. Park found them of a very bad quality. He made claims for
damages and William was told that he must go with Mr. Phipps to meet
Mr. Park and settle. Mr. Phipps went into Mr. Park's office, while
William took a look around the works in search of the condemned
material, which was nowhere to be seen. Well did William know where to
look. He finally entered the office, and before Mr. Park had time to
say a word William began:

"Mr. Park, I vas glad to hear dat de old rails what I sell you don't
suit for steel. I will buy dem all from you back, five dollars ton
profit for you." Well did William know that they had all been used.
Mr. Park was non-plussed, and the affair ended. William had triumphed.

Upon one of my visits to Pittsburgh William told me he had something
"particular" he wished to tell me--something he couldn't tell any one
else. This was upon his return from the trip to Germany. There he had
been asked to visit for a few days a former schoolfellow, who had
risen to be a professor:

"Well, Mr. Carnegie, his sister who kept his house was very kind to
me, and ven I got to Hamburg I tought I sent her yust a little
present. She write me a letter, then I write her a letter. She write
me and I write her, and den I ask her would she marry me. She was very
educated, but she write yes. Den I ask her to come to New York, and I
meet her dere, but, Mr. Carnegie, dem people don't know noting about
business and de mills. Her bruder write me dey want me to go dere
again and marry her in Chairmany, and I can go away not again from de
mills. I tought I yust ask you aboud it."

"Of course you can go again. Quite right, William, you should go. I
think the better of her people for feeling so. You go over at once and
bring her home. I'll arrange it." Then, when parting, I said:
"William, I suppose your sweetheart is a beautiful, tall,
'peaches-and-cream' kind of German young lady."

"Vell, Mr. Carnegie, she is a leetle stout. If _I had the rolling of
her I give her yust one more pass_." All William's illustrations were
founded on mill practice. [I find myself bursting into fits of
laughter this morning (June, 1912) as I re-read this story. But I did
this also when reading that "Every man must stand on his own bottom."]

Mr. Phipps had been head of the commercial department of the mills,
but when our business was enlarged, he wa