Vanderbilt's Beginning In Life

Tho newspapers often contain an acount of Vanderbilt's beginning. Most of these accounts are apocalyptieal. His orn ,-t;ili-inont of his first real success isthis: Ui wis ii young man on Staten Island. Ho Vas :i iniister of rowing. Ile was athletio, strong and daring. One night a stranger camo to the landing and wantcd to be rowed across to Gowanus. Tlie night was duik and stonny, and the wind blew a fcale. Not a boatraan could be found who would leave. Tho landlord said, " There is nobody who oan row you ovor but Corn. Vanderbilt" - for so he was called. It was doubtful, he said, whether he would do it. Vandorbilt was found, and in answer to the request, plied : " It's pretty rough, but if you'll givo me $10, lic down in my bout, aml not stil or do jüst what I bid yoti. 111 dyit" 'He rowed tho man over and back in safoty. As soon as he liinded on Staten Isluud tho stranger said : " Young man, how would you liko to run an opposition steaniboat " Notbing wouhl suit me better," was tho reply. "Have you pluok enoughtooboy orders?" said the Btranger. " 1 have, ' m tho response. " Supposo I was to teil you to run into ii stcamboat, what would you dof" "Kun into her, by ." The bargain wus sealed muid the storm tliat night on tho island, and Vanderbilt bogan his wollkiiowu career as a steamboat man. The Kcpcntaut lliirglar. The world of notion luu-dly coutains a inoro thrilling ohapter than an accident which niarked the life of the iato Bev. Mr, Lee, Presbyterian minister, of the villagc! of Watorford, N. Y. Mr. Lee was sitting in his study about midnight, preparing a diseourso to deliver to his congrega tion, whon he heard a noise behind hita, and becamo conscious that somo one was in the ioo:r. Mr. Lee exolaiiuöd : " what is tho in itter?" and turning aiound in his ehair, ho beheld the grim face of a burglar, who was pointing a pistol at his breust. The ruffian hud entored tho house by. a sido window, supposing all tha oeeupants were locked in glumber. "Givo mo your wateh and money," said ho " and make no noise, or I will fire." " You may put down your weappn, for I shall make no resistaneo, and you are at liberty to tako all the valuablos I pos8088," was Mr. Lee's calm reply. Tho burglar withdrow his menacing pistol and Mr. Lee said : " I will conduet you to tho place whoro my most precious treasures are placed." He opened tho door and pointed to the Öot where his two children lay slumbering in the sweet sleep of innocence and peaee. " These," said he, " are my choicest jewels. Will you tako them 't" He said also that as a minister of tho Gospel he had few eartlily possession, and that all his inoans were devotod to but ono object - tho education of tho two motherless ehildren. The burglar was deeply and visibly affected by these remarks. Tears filled his eyes, and hu indicated sorrow at the act which he had been about to commit. After a few remarks by Mr. Lee, tbe would-bo criminal consonted to kneel aöd join in prayer ; and thero in that lonely house, amid tlie silence of midnight, the offonder pourod forth his penitenco and remorse, whilo the representativo of religión, of' peace and good-will, told bim to " go and sin no more." Suca a scene lias fow parullcls.