n
years of patient thought to develop, brought about his splendid success.

PETER COOPER

Who, indeed, is there who has not heard of Peter Cooper? He was born in
the city of New York in 1791. His father was a man who possessed some
ability, but was so inconstant that the poor boy received only about six
months' schooling, and he received that before he was eight years old.

Reader, think of it; can you make yourself believe that his great riches
came through 'good luck'? we will see: His father, being a hatter,
little Peter was early employed pulling the hair off the rabbit skins to
obtain material with which to make the hats. In the course of time his
father moved to Peekskill, and at seventeen Peter resolved to strike
out into the world for himself. He returned to his native city and
apprenticed himself to the firm of Burtis & Woodward. Here he remained
four years where he acquired a thorough mastery of the coach-making
trade. In addition to his board he received during his apprenticeship
the sum of twenty-five dollars per year with which to clothe himself.
Although he had spent four long years learning the trade of coach-making
he, for some reason, determined not to make that his calling for life.
Accordingly he went to Hempstead, Long Island, and there he met a party
who was manufacturing a patent shears for shearing cloth. To this man he
engaged himself at $1.50 per day, where he remained until the business
became unremunerative, a period of three years. He next turned his
attention to the business of making and selling cabinet furniture; at
the end of a year he sold out this business, and with his family
returned to New York city.

He now entered the grocery business and the next year, seeing his
opportunity, leased for a period of nineteen years a piece of land
containing a few buildings. He now moved his grocery business into one
of these buildings, subletting the others at a profit. His eyes were
kept open, and he never let an opportunity slip by to turn an honest
penny. There was a glue factory situated not far from his present
location. True, it had never paid, and that seemed to be reason enough
for all others, but Cooper made a study of the glue business. He
satisfied himself that he could make it pay; he thought he could see
where the trouble was with the present proprietor, and he bought it out,
paying two thousand dollars, cash down, for it. By a progressive study
of this new business he soon