held more money than usual. His being poor
did not matter. The rich boys in Newburyport were glad to pay his share
in games and excursions any time he could take a holiday, just for the
sake of having his lively company.

A fire destroyed David's store, and George had to make a fresh start in
Georgetown. It was the same story there. It was no time at all before
the mayor of Georgetown said to the doctor and the minister: "I tell
you, George Peabody is a comfortable person to have round!"

At twenty George did not have a dollar of his own, but after the fire
plenty of men offered to lend him money, and he kept on working in his
happy way until he was thirty-five, when he found himself rich enough to
go to London and not only have stores but to open a bank, too. Then
Englishmen began to find out what a comfortable man George Peabody was
to have round. He had no wife and lived rather simply himself, but was
glad to spend a great deal on other folks. He found the working men
lived in filthy, unhealthy places, so he built a great square--almost a
little village--of neat, pretty, working men's homes. (In his will he
left the poor of London half a million dollars.) Then, when it was
feared that Sir John Franklin, the great arctic explorer, was lost, and
there was need to send men to search for him, George Peabody said: "Let
me help--I'll fit out a ship," and he paid for everything that went
aboard the _Advance_. You understand, now, why you find on the geography
maps a point, way up north, called Peabody's Land!

The Englishmen took a strong liking to this sociable American who had
settled among them, and it was thought a great treat to go round to his
rooms in the evening and have a game of backgammon or whist after a
jolly dinner, at which Mr. Peabody always told funny stories. He had a
fine memory and a real gift for story-telling. He loved music and was
delighted when people would sing Scotch songs for him.

Living in England many years did not make Mr. Peabody love America any
the less. When the great Crystal Palace was built in which to hold a
sort of World's Fair, there were to be shown samples of things made by
different countries. The papers were full of talk about this grand
affair. One morning Mr. Peabody opened his paper at the breakfast table
and read an article which ridiculed the looks of the rooms or stalls set
apart for American products. I tell you it did not take him long to eat
his breakfast. He said: "