CHAPTER III. ARRIVAL IN AMERICA-STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE. "But noble souls, through dust and heat, Rise from disaster and defeat The stronger; And conscious still in the divine Within them, lie on earth supine Upon his arrival in New Brunswick young Agnew's financial resources were embarrassingly limited. In a land of strangers, three thousand miles from home and relatives, and with little money and no employment, no time was to be lost in determining what course to pursue. Having sufficient cash to pay his passage to Boston he determined to make for that city, in hope of finding there a more favorable opportunity for selfmaintenance than New Brunswick afforded him. Learning that a steamer sailed from St. John for Boston once a week he quickly made arrangements for departure, "paid the fare thereof" and embarked for the New England metropolis. He had not been under way very long before the cravings of hunger brought him face to face with a new embarrassment. The meals on board the steamer were sold at seventy-five cents each, a price entirely beyond the reach of the young foreigner, who had invested nearly all his cash in payment for his transportation. On making known his situation and inquiring how he might secure something at a more moderate cost than that charged for regular meals, he was told to call on the pantry-man and perhaps he would pro vide for him at a rate which would be within his ability to pay. Acting upon this advice he found the pantry-man, an Irishman like himself, who was so touched with sympathy for him that he gave him all he could eat, stuffed his pockets with fine sandwiches besides, bade him godspeed on his way, and made no charge whatever for the service. Nor was this the only interposition of Providence on his behalf, since, at various times and in divers ways, the Lord opened up his way before him in that peculiarly embarrassing period of his life. Upon his arrival in Boston with its large population, busy thoroughfares and scenes new and strange to him, young Agnew, being without acquaintances, friends or employment, was as restless as a fish out of water. He had little courage in these circumstances to go in search of employment, and was further embarrassed, when he thought of making such a quest, from the facts that his clothes were too shabby to make him presentable and he was without recommendations. Calling to mind in this extremity that he had one or two friends and acquaintances in New York City, he decided it would be wiser to push on thither. Not having the three dollars which his transportation would cost, he sold his watch for that amount, procured a ticket, and soon found himself one among the restless, surging mass of men and women who daily throng the streets of that great metropolis, with his cash resources amounting to ten cents. Not knowing the address of any of his acquaintances in New York he turned to a city Directory, which, fortunately, gave the address of a former North of Ireland friend, who, he felt sure, would aid him in his time of need. Having to take a street car to reach this friend's residence he had but five cents left on arrival there. This friend, whose name we have been unable to ascertain, received him kindly, and gave him a home under his own roof until the time of young Agnew's determination to go West. Shortly after Harry's de parture from New York this Good Samaritan was stricken with smallpox and removed to a hospital, where he died. The next thing to be done after his arrival in New York was to find employment, if possible. He went to the Young Men's Christian Association headquarters, and there met the president (or secretary) of the Association, who was having his house repaired, and offered him the job of cleaning up the premises after the painters, plumbers and other workmen were through. The job was gladly accepted at a dollar a day, which was little more than enough to pay his board and incidental expenses. This job did not last long, but it led to the securing of another, as one of the painters procured him a place in a paint-shop where he received eight dollars per week. The foreman of this shop proved to be of a fiery disposition, and he and Harry did not get along together so well as they might otherwise have done. Referring to this in one of his manuscripts Harry says: "One difficulty was they had asked me if I could drive a I answered, of course, in the affirmative, as I thought any fool could drive a horse. But the owner of the business one day took me along with him as his coachman to drive him through the crowded streets of New York. He was not satisfied with my performances, and told the foreman that I knew nothing about driving a horse; so I was discharged and one who knew a little more about the business was put in my place." Upon his departure from the paint-shop young Agnew fell in with an insurance agent who proposed to set him up in the insurance business. To give the young man a start the agent proposed, if Harry would bring him twenty-five cents worth of insurance, to give him two dollars. Referring to this tempting offer he says: "I thought, 'Oh, that's easy done; I can soon get twenty-five cents' worth,' as I knew some people who, I felt sure, would help me out." Supplied liberally with circulars setting forth the desirability and cheapness of the insurance offered, he started out with much courage and enthusiasm upon his new-found employment, but after many unsuccessful attempts to induce his friends, who were less guileless than himself, to take out an insurance, he became discouraged. Concluding he had been like a child in search of the fabled pot of gold, he never returned to see the agent. After the failure of his life insurance scheme he decided to go West. By borrowing ten dollars he was enabled to purchase an emigrant ticket to Chicago. Before starting he wrote to a sister then living in Iowa to send him some money to the general postoffice in Chicago. On arriving there he received a letter from her containing ten dollars. She wrote advising him to go to Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he had several relatives, instead of making Iowa his destination, as she felt sure he would have better opportunities for self-maintenance in that city. He took his sister's advice, and at once started for Saint Paul, arriving there the following Sunday morning. He found his relatives. without difficulty, and, he being the first arrival from among their friends across the Atlantic, his advent was hailed with joy and they accorded him a most hearty welcome. Nothing was done on Monday toward seeking a situation, but on Tuesday, seeing an advertisement calling for a book-keeper, he applied for the position and was accepted. The firm by which he was employed was composed of English Jews. They treated him. with much kindness and consideration, and he remained their trusted and faithful employe until the time of his departure for the African mission field. They increased his wages repeatedly, and were much grieved at having to give him up when he decided to enter |