I guess I'll see about this. I guess my own
country is not going to be made fun of!" He did not abuse the man who
wrote the article, but he went right to the Crystal Palace to find out
how our things did look. He knew the minute he got there that our agents
did not have money enough to work with. So he just opened his purse and
wrote letters and offered advice, until in the end the American stalls
were decorated in exquisite taste, and when there were such things shown
as Powers's "Greek Slave" (a wonderful statue), the very useful reaping
machine of McCormack's, Colt's revolvers, and the printing press of Hoe,
with many other interesting things, the visitors to the fair agreed
that few countries had more to their credit than America. Then the
English papers behaved very handsomely and spoke so well of our exhibit
that I expect if George Peabody read the last article at his breakfast
table, he may have chuckled to himself and said: "I'll risk America
every time!"

He noticed, while at the fair, how well the Crystal Palace was suited
for large gatherings (it is mostly of iron and glass--with two immense,
glittering towers) and decided he would give a big dinner on the Fourth
of July to all the Americans in London. This dinner proved a grand
affair. The Duke of Wellington and many famous English people were
present. It was such a success that ever after, as long as he lived,
George Peabody gave a Fourth of July dinner in Crystal Palace.

Queen Victoria so deeply esteemed Mr. Peabody that she sent a message to
him that she wished to make him a baronet, and confer the Order of the
Bath upon him. And what word do you suppose he sent back? Why, he said:
"I am going over to America pretty soon to visit the town where I was
born, and as I do not care one bit about titles and such things, but do
value your interest and friendship, I wish you would just write me a
letter which I may read to my friends in America, who love you as I do!"
The queen wrote a long, affectionate letter to him, saying what a
blessing he had been to England, and asked him to accept her portrait.

So when Danvers, a part of which had been set off into a new town by
itself and named Peabody (for the faithful grocer boy, who had become
the rich banker) was to have its hundredth birthday, George Peabody
crossed the ocean to be there. He gave to his native town a free library
and lecture hall and the portrait of Queen Victoria. This miniature was
so set with