He was exacting in his family, and also as a manager of labor.
Every morning at six o'clock all the family had to be at the breakfast
table. Colonel Harris always asked the blessing. Its merit was its
brevity: sometimes he only said--"Dear Lord, make us grateful and good
to-day. Amen." Thirty minutes later, summer and winter, his horses and
carriage stood at his door, and punctually at fifteen minutes of seven
o'clock he would reach his great mills. His first duty was to walk
through his works, as his skilled laborers with dinner pails entered the
broad gates and began the day's work. Devotion like this usually brings
success.
After breakfast, Mrs. Harris and her daughters walked down Fifth Avenue
to make a few purchases. Alfonso and Leo hurried off to get their baggage
to the "Majestic," while Jean busied himself in seeing that a transfer
was made to the steamer of all the trunks, valises, etc., left at the
depot and hotel.
At ten o'clock Jean called at the dock to learn if the half-dozen steamer
chairs and as many warm blankets had arrived, and he found everything in
readiness. It was 10:30 o'clock when the Waldorf bill was paid, and the
good-bye given. The young people were jubilant, as the long hoped-for
pleasure trip to Europe was about to be realized.
Pages:
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54