The Harris-Ingram Experiment | Page 6

several thousand
persons present.
As the party left the church, Leo said, "In 1786, the Kings of France
and Spain contributed to the erection of the first cathedral church, St.
Peter's, in New York." The Harrises having invited Leo to dinner, said
good-bye to him, and in their carriage returned to the Waldorf for
lunch.
While the colonel waited near the reception-room, he chanced to look
at the stained-glass window over the entrance to the Garden Court.
Here was pictured the village of Waldorf, the birthplace of the original
John Jacob Astor. This pretty little hamlet is part of the Duchy of
Baden, Germany, and has been lovingly remembered in the Astor wills.
Here formerly lived the impecunious father of John Jacob Astor and his
brother. Both gained wealth, very likely, because the value of money
was first learned in the early Waldorf school of poverty. It was not an
ill north wind that imprisoned young Astor for weeks in the ice of the
Chesapeake Bay, as there on the small ship that brought him from
Germany, he listened to marvelous tales of fortunes to be made in furs
in the northwest. Shrewdly he determined first to acquire expert
knowledge of skins, and on landing he luckily found employment in a
fur store in New York at two dollars per week. This knowledge became
the foundation of the vast fortune of the Astor family. The colonel was
told that the Waldorf occupies the site of the town-house of John Jacob
Astor, third of the name, and was erected by his son, William Waldorf,
ex-minister to Italy.

It was two o'clock when the Harrises entered the main dining-room for
their lunch. The colonel led the party, Alfonso conducting his sister
Lucille, the light blue ribbon at her throat of the tint of her responsive
eyes. Mrs. Harris came with Gertrude. The mother wore a gray gown,
and her daughter a pretty silk. This first entrance of the family to the
public dining-room caused a slight diversion among some of the guests
at lunch, where not a few rightly surmised who they were.
Few markets in the world rival that of New York. The coast, streams,
and valleys of New England and the Central States, send their best food
by swift steamers and express, that the exacting cosmopolitan appetite
may be satisfied.
Before the lunch was over and while Reuben Harris was making
reference to the delay of his English visitor, the waiter placed a white
card by his plate. The color in the colonel's face suddenly deepened, as
he read upon the card the name of Mr. Hugh Searles, representing
Messrs. Guerney & Barring, London.
"What's the matter, Reuben?" anxiously inquired Mrs. Harris.
"Oh, nothing," said the colonel, "only that our overdue English visitor,
Hugh Searles, has sent in his card."
"How surprising," said Lucille; "you remember, father, that I said at
breakfast, that the weather was to be fair. Probably the 'Majestic'
quickened her speed, and stole in unobserved to the docks."
"I will send him my card;" and upon it Mr. Harris wrote in pencil, "I
will soon join you in the reception room."
The black coffee disposed of, it was agreed that all should accompany
Colonel Harris, and give Mr. Searles a cordial welcome to America.
The English agent was a good sailor, and had enjoyed immensely the
ocean voyage. Mr. Searles, of late over-worked in England, was
compelled on board ship to rest both mind and body. A true
Englishman, Mr. Searles, was very practical. He comprehended fully

the importance of his mission to America, and possessed the tact of
getting on in the world. If the proposed deal with Reuben Harris was a
success, he expected as commission not less than five thousand pounds.
Before the "Majestic" left the Mersey, that his mind might be alert on
arrival at New York, he had measured with tape line the promenade
deck of the steamer, and resolved to make enough laps for a mile, both
before and after each meal, a walk of six miles per day, or a total of
forty-eight miles for the voyage.
A sturdy Englishman, taking such vigorous and methodical exercise,
created some comment among the passengers, but it was excused on
the ground that Englishmen believe in much outdoor exercise. Searles
came from a good family, who lived north of London in Lincolnshire.
His father, the Hon. George Searles, had a competency, largely
invested in lands, and three per cent consols. His rule of investment
was, security unquestioned and interest not above three per cent,
believing that neither creditors nor enterprise of any kind, in the long
run, could afford to pay more. His ancestors were Germans, who
crossed the German Ocean, soon after the Romans withdrew from
England.
A large area of Lincolnshire lies