the house that formerly had been her own.  In the same way after we had occupied the four-roomed house, Uncle Hogan having passed away, we were able to restore Aunt Hogan to her old home when we removed to Altoona.  One hundred dollars cash was paid upon purchase, and the total price, as I remember, was seven hundred dollars.  The struggle then was to make up the semi-annual payments of interest and as great an amount of the principal as we could save.  It was not long before the debt was cleared off and we were property-holders, but before that was accomplished, the first sad break occurred in our family, in my father’s death, October 2, 1855.  Fortunately for the three remaining members life’s duties were pressing.  Sorrow and duty contended and we had to work.  The expenses connected with his illness had to be saved and paid and we had not up to this time much store in reserve.

[Footnote 19:  “I remember well when I used to write out the monthly pay-roll and came to Mr. Scott’s name for $125.  I wondered what he did with it all.  I was then getting thirty-five.” (Andrew Carnegie in speech at Reunion of U.S.  Military Telegraph Corps, March 28, 1907.)]

And here comes in one of the sweet incidents of our early life in America.  The principal member of our small Swedenborgian Society was Mr. David McCandless.  He had taken some notice of my father and mother, but beyond a few passing words at church on Sundays, I do not remember that they had ever been brought in close contact.  He knew Aunt Aitken well, however, and now sent for her to say that if my mother required any money assistance at this sad period he would be very pleased to advance whatever was necessary.  He had heard much of my heroic mother and that was sufficient.

One gets so many kind offers of assistance when assistance is no longer necessary, or when one is in a position which would probably enable him to repay a favor, that it is delightful to record an act of pure and disinterested benevolence.  Here was a poor Scottish woman bereft of her husband, with her eldest son just getting a start and a second in his early teens, whose misfortunes appealed to this man, and who in the most delicate manner sought to mitigate them.  Although my mother was able to decline the proffered aid, it is needless to say that Mr. McCandless obtained a place in our hearts sacred to himself.  I am a firm believer in the doctrine that people deserving necessary assistance at critical periods in their career usually receive it.  There are many splendid natures in the world—­men and women who are not only willing, but anxious to stretch forth a helping hand to those they know to be worthy.  As a rule, those who show willingness to help themselves need not fear about obtaining the help of others.