that the history really was eventful. And strange.
Nothing stranger ever came out of the _Arabian Nights_ than the story
of this poor Scotch boy who came to America and step by step, through
many trials and triumphs, became the great steel master, built up a
colossal industry, amassed an enormous fortune, and then deliberately
and systematically gave away the whole of it for the enlightenment and
betterment of mankind. Not only that. He established a gospel of
wealth that can be neither ignored nor forgotten, and set a pace in
distribution that succeeding millionaires have followed as a
precedent. In the course of his career he became a nation-builder, a
leader in thought, a writer, a speaker, the friend of workmen,
schoolmen, and statesmen, the associate of both the lowly and the
lofty. But these were merely interesting happenings in his life as
compared with his great inspirations--his distribution of wealth, his
passion for world peace, and his love for mankind.

Perhaps we are too near this history to see it in proper proportions,
but in the time to come it should gain in perspective and in interest.
The generations hereafter may realize the wonder of it more fully than
we of to-day. Happily it is preserved to us, and that, too, in Mr.
Carnegie's own words and in his own buoyant style. It is a very
memorable record--a record perhaps the like of which we shall not look
upon again.

JOHN C. VAN DYKE

_New York_
_August, 1920_

CONTENTS

I. PARENTS AND CHILDHOOD 1

II. DUNFERMLINE AND AMERICA 20

III. PITTSBURGH AND WORK 32

IV. COLONEL ANDERSON AND BOOKS 45

V. THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE 54

VI. RAILROAD SERVICE 65

VII. SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA 84

VIII. CIVIL WAR PERIOD 99

IX. BRIDGE-BUILDING 115

X. THE IRON WORKS 130

XI. NEW YORK AS HEADQUARTERS 149

XII. BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS 167

XIII. THE AGE OF STEEL 181

XIV. PARTNERS, BOOKS, AND TRAVEL 198

XV. COACHING TRIP AND MARRIAGE 210