William once sold to our neighbor, the pioneer steel-maker of Pittsburgh, James Park, a large lot of old rails which we could not use.  Mr. Park found them of a very bad quality.  He made claims for damages and William was told that he must go with Mr. Phipps to meet Mr. Park and settle.  Mr. Phipps went into Mr. Park’s office, while William took a look around the works in search of the condemned material, which was nowhere to be seen.  Well did William know where to look.  He finally entered the office, and before Mr. Park had time to say a word William began: 

“Mr. Park, I vas glad to hear dat de old rails what I sell you don’t suit for steel.  I will buy dem all from you back, five dollars ton profit for you.”  Well did William know that they had all been used.  Mr. Park was non-plussed, and the affair ended.  William had triumphed.

Upon one of my visits to Pittsburgh William told me he had something “particular” he wished to tell me—­something he couldn’t tell any one else.  This was upon his return from the trip to Germany.  There he had been asked to visit for a few days a former schoolfellow, who had risen to be a professor: 

“Well, Mr. Carnegie, his sister who kept his house was very kind to me, and ven I got to Hamburg I tought I sent her yust a little present.  She write me a letter, then I write her a letter.  She write me and I write her, and den I ask her would she marry me.  She was very educated, but she write yes.  Den I ask her to come to New York, and I meet her dere, but, Mr. Carnegie, dem people don’t know noting about business and de mills.  Her bruder write me dey want me to go dere again and marry her in Chairmany, and I can go away not again from de mills.  I tought I yust ask you aboud it.”

“Of course you can go again.  Quite right, William, you should go.  I think the better of her people for feeling so.  You go over at once and bring her home.  I’ll arrange it.”  Then, when parting, I said:  “William, I suppose your sweetheart is a beautiful, tall, ‘peaches-and-cream’ kind of German young lady.”

“Vell, Mr. Carnegie, she is a leetle stout.  If I had the rolling of her I give her yust one more pass.”  All William’s illustrations were founded on mill practice. [I find myself bursting into fits of laughter this morning (June, 1912) as I re-read this story.  But I did this also when reading that “Every man must stand on his own bottom.”]

Mr. Phipps had been head of the commercial department of the mills, but when our business was enlarged, he was required for the steel business.  Another young man, William L. Abbott, took his place.  Mr. Abbott’s history is somewhat akin to Borntraeger’s.  He came to us as a clerk upon a small salary and was soon assigned to the front in charge of the business of the iron mills.  He was no less successful than was William.  He became a partner with an interest equal to William’s, and finally was promoted to the presidency of the company.