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ANDREW CAENEGIE 97 Andrew Carnegie was bom November 25, 1837, in Dunferm- line, Scotland, the elder son of William and Margaret Carne- gie, ffis father was a master weaver, a man of sturdy char- acter, a speaker and writer on behalf of those political reforms which were being agitated in those early days. Young * * An- die*' acquired thus, at the feet of his father, the democratic principles which have influenced his entire life. He was equal- ly blessed in his mother, a thrifty woman of much common sense, sparing of words, but sound of counsel. It may here be added that, by the time the future Iron King became pos- sessed of great wealth, his father was dead, but his mother was his constant companion, accompanying him in all his holi- days, both at home and abroad. In 1848 the Camegies came to the United States and set- tled in Allegheny City, opposite Pittsburgh. At the age of twelve **Andie" entered a cotton factory as a bobbin boy, at a dollar and twenty cents a week. His progress was steady. He spent his evenings in study and otherwise improved him- self. At fourteen the lad became a telegraph boy. The clicking over the wires interested the quick-witted youngster, who somehow seemed to feel that he now stood in the midst of the busy world. Mr. J. D. ^Beed, in his History of the Telegraphy referring to this period of Andrew Carnegie ^s life, says, I liked the boy's looks, and it was very easy to see that though he was little he was full of spirit. He had not been with me a month when he began to ask whether I would teach him to telegraph. '* As boy and man Andrew Carnegie was never backward. According to circumstances he asked and received, listened and gave, with equal facility. In other words, he was an out-and-out man of affairs at every stage of the bus- iness game. Young Carnegie attracted the attention of Thomas A. Scott, superintendent of the Pittsburgh division of the Pennsylvania railroad, who offered him a situation as an operator. Thus commenced a friendship that was to develop to the material benefit of both parties. One day Mr. Scott called the young operator aside and sug-