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ended in Wales and we were on our way to establish a new one in a far country。
As I said before； the feather beds were mother's measure of wealth。 Before she was married she had begun saving for her first feather bed。 It had taken a long time to acquire these two tickfuls of downy goose feathers。 The bed is the foundation of the household。 It is there that the babies are born。 There sleep restores the weary toiler that he may rise and toil anew。 And there at last when work is done； the old folks fall into a sleep that never ends。
We traveled steerage to Castle Garden。 Having passed the immigrant tests； we found ourselves set out on the dock； free to go where we pleased。 But our baggage had disappeared。 Some one had made off with our precious feather beds！
This was the first real tragedy of my mother's life。 All the joy of setting foot in the new land was turned to dismay。 The stored…up pleasure with which she awaited the greeting of her husband was dashed in a moment； like sweet water flung upon the ground。 When I saw the anguish in my mother's face； I was sobered to life's responsibilities。 The song had died out of her heart； and I must make it sing again。 While she was crying in distraction； I wrapped my own tearful face in her skirts and prayed to God that I might grow up in a daythat He would make my arms strong so I could go to work at once earning money to replace the lost feather beds。 I was then not quite eight years old。 It was early in April； 1881。 Before the month was out I had found a job in the new country and was earning money。 I gave all my earnings to my mother。 I have been earning money ever since。 As long as I lived at home I turned over all my wages to my mother。 When I went away I sent her weekly a percentage of my earnings。 This I have ever continued to do。
My love for my mother and her grief at the loss of the feather beds turned a careless boy into a serious money…maker。 This led to the study of economics and finance。 A man's destiny is often made by trifles light as feathers。
CHAPTER VI
HUNTING FOR LOST CHILDREN
The loss of our baggage was only the beginning of our troubles in New York。 With the feather ticks went also the money mother had got from selling the bedsteads and other furniture。 She had nothing with which to buy food and while we were walking the streets we smelt the delicious odor of food from the restaurants and became whining and petulant。 This was the first time mother had ever heard her children crying for bread when she had none to give them。 The experience was trying； but her stout heart faced it calmly。 In the Old World； her folks and father's folks had been rated as prosperous people。 They always had good food in the larder and meat on Sunday； which was more than many had。 They were the owners of feather beds； while many never slept on anything but straw。 True they could not raise the passage money to America until father came and earned itthat would have been riches in Wales。 Now we were in America hungry and penniless； and hard was the bed that we should lie on。
From Pittsburgh father had sent us railroad tickets； and these tickets were waiting for us at the railroad office。 All we would have to do would be to hold our hunger in check until we should reach Hubbard； Ohio； where a kinsman had established a home。 But while mother was piloting her family to the depot； two of the children got lost。 She had reached Castle Garden with six children and her household goods。 Now her goods were gone and only four of the children remained。 My sister was ten and I was eight； we were the oldest。 The baby； one year old； and the next； a toddler of three； mother had carried in her arms。 But two boys； Walter and David； four and six years old； had got lost in the traffic。 Mother took the rest of us to a hotel and locked us in a room while she went out to search for the missing ones。 For two days she tramped the streets visiting police stations and making inquiry everywhere。 At night she would return to us and report that she had found no trace of little Walter and David。 To try to picture the misery of those scenes is beyond me。 I can only say that the experience instilled in me a lasting terror。 The fear of being parted from my parents and from my brothers and sisters； then implanted in my soul； has borne its fruit in after…life。
Finally mother found the boys in a rescue home for lost children。 Brother David； curly…haired and red…cheeked； had so appealed to the policeman who found them that he had made application to adopt the boy and was about to take him to his own home。
After finding the children； mother stood on Broadway and； gazing at the fine buildings and the good clothes that all classes wore in America； she felt her heart swell with hope。 And she said aloud： 〃This is the place for my boys。〃
Every one had treated her with kindness。 A fellow countryman had lent her money to pay the hotel bill； telling her she could pay it back after she had joined her husband。 And so we had passed through the gateway of the New World as thousands of other poor families had done。 And our temporary hardships had been no greater than most immigrants encountered in those days。
I later learned from a Bohemian of the trials his mother met with on her first days in New York。 He told me that she and her three children； the smallest a babe in arms； tramped the streets of New York for days looking in vain for some one who could speak their native tongue。 They slept at night in doorways； and by day wandered timid and terrified through the streets。
〃At last a saloon…keeper saw that we were famishing；〃 the Bohemian told me。 〃He was aaOh； what do you call them in your language？ I can think of the Bohemian word but not the English。〃
〃What was he like？〃 I asked to help find the word。 〃Red…headed？ Tall？ Fat？〃
〃No； he was one of those people who usually run clothing stores and are always having a 'SALE。'〃
〃Jew；〃 I said。
〃Yes； he was a Jew saloon…keeper。 He took pity on us and took us into his saloon and gave us beer； bread and sausages。 We were so nearly starved that we ate too much and our stomachs threw it up。 The saloon…keeper sent word to the Humane Society； and they came and put us on the train for Chicago； where our father was waiting for us。〃
The Bohemians saved from starvation by the pity of a Jewish saloon…keeper is a sample of how our world was running fifty years ago。 Who can doubt that we have a better world to…day？ And the thing that has made it better is the thing that Jew exhibited； human sympathy。
When I found myself head of the Labor Department one of my earliest duties was to inspect the immigrant stations at Boston and New York。 In spite of complaints； they were being conducted to the letter of the law； to correct the situation it was only necessary to add sympathy and understanding to the enforcement of the law。
An American poet in two lines told the whole truth about human courage：
〃The bravest are the tenderest；
The loving are the daring。〃
Tenderness and human sympathy to the alien passing through Ellis Island does not mean that we are weak； or that the unfit alien is welcome。 The tenderer we treat the immigrant who seeks our hospit