LITTLE BIOGRAPALES.—

for money during his life he generally refused ;
doubtless his reply often seemed somewhat enig-
matical: “My money is not mine. I did not
make it. It has merely rolled up in my hands, and
J know what for. J must keep to my own work.”

And who was this munificent giver ?

He was a farmer’s boy; later, a clerk in a
grocery ; still later, the owner of a little shop; by
and by, a bank-president ; at last, a money king.

Johns Hopkins, so named from the family name
of his ancestor, Margaret Johns— Johns being an
early form of the word Jones— was born May 109,
1795, and was the eldest of eleven children. His
father, Samuel, was 2 Quaker farmer, kind and
conscientious, but rich only in his large family.
His mother was a superior woman, both in intel-
lect and will; so notably superior, in fact, that it is
said she guided not only the Yearly Meetings of
the Friends, but many matters of the county as
well, Such a mother would naturally impress her
strength of character upon her sons. There were
too, probably, fine. forces latent in the father’s
blood ; Governor Edward Hopkins of Connecticut
and Bishop Ezekiel Hopkins of Londonderry, men
of mark, were among his relatives.

Little Johns worked on the farm in summer
and received whatever education was possible in
winter. He was an active boy, both in body and
mind, getting and reading every book in the county
within his reach. He enjoyed Shakespeare, he
enjoyed history, and especially did he enjoy biog-
raphy; it probably stimulated him, even in boy-
hood, to find that men had begun at the foot of
the ladder and climbed, rung by rung, to the top.

When he was seventeen, a wealthy uncle, Gerard
Hopkins, came to pay his parents a visit. He
was at once interested in the intelligent boy, and
he persuaded the mother to permit Johns to go
back with him to Baltimore, and there to learn the
wholesale grocery business. Doubtless the boy’s
heart at once stirred with ambition, perhaps thrilled
with pleasure at the thought of life in the fine city.
This Baltimore uncle was an eminent minister
among the Friends, and his company was much
sought after, so that the country lad had oppor-
tunities to meet intellectual and well-bred people.
The aunt was a most cheerful woman, and very
kind to the young new-comer. If he were awkward,
she did not appear to see it, but always contrived
that he should feel at ease.

For two years Johns worked steadily ; the vic-
tory of success is half won when one gains the
habit of work. The uncle, about this time, was
appointed by the Baltimore Friends to go far out
to the State of Ohio, to attend the Yearly Meeting.
Who should be left in charge of the store, the
business, and the family? Mr. Hopkins called
his nephew Johns to him. He spoke to him
gravely:

“ J am going on this long journey, and thee is but

HOW SUCCESS IS WON. 287
a youth. Vow, J want thee to put an old head on
young shoulders ; and as thee has been faithful to
my interests since thee has been with me, I am
going to leave everything in thy hands. Hereare
checks which I have signed my name to; there
are upwards of five hundred of them. Thee will
deposit the money as it is received, and as thee
wants money thee will fill up the checks which I
leave with thee. Buy the goods and do the best
thee can. Be attentive at the house, and see after
our little children, whom we leave behind in thy
care and a female relative.”

A company of five, including his aunt, started
on this long journey. There were no railroads.
There was often no pathway save the trail of the
Indians. They traveled on horseback, fording
deep rivers, and threading their way through dense
forests. Well, the lad Johns did his part nobly
during their absence. It was a time of great
excitement, disturbance and anxiety, for the coun-
try was engaged in the War of 1812 with England.
The British had entered Washington, burnt the
Capitol, and were marching up the Chesapeake.
The people of Baltimore were fleeing in every
direction. Johns might well have been nearly
frantic, not daring to leave the children, and yet
obliged to care constantly for the store. Finally,
three days before the bombardment of Fort Henry,
the uncle and aunt arrived home much to his sur-
prise and relief. It proved that he had done bet-
ter than the uncle supposed he could. He had,
during the absence, evidently mastered the detail
of trade, had visibly increased the business, and
presently it appeared that he had won many
friends.

Five years after this his uncle again called him
aside. “This time he said, “ Johns, would thee like
to go into business for thyself?”

“Ves; but, uncle, I have no capital. I have
saved only eight hundred dollars.” (He had
been willing to work hard for seven years to save
this eight hundred dollars. )

“But that will make no difference. I will en-
dorse for thee, and this will give thee credit, and
in a short time thee will make a capital; thee has
been faithful to my interests, and I will start thee
in business.”

“JT will endorse for thee.” That was a profound
compliment, a tribute most uncommon for so young
aman to win from an old, clear-headed business
man. Johns’s habits were well known to his uncle ;
it was of course taken into consideration that he
never wasted his evenings, that he did not spend
his money carelessly or foolishly, that he did not
make unwise bargains, that, as a rule, he showed
good common sense in his dealings.

Starting for himself, he rented a small store,
formed a partnership with another young man, and
began business unostentatiously. He soon found
that better than his uncle’s endorsement was the