When the original store was abandoned for the Stewart
``Palace'' the old apple woman with her box, basket and
umbrella were tenderly taken along, too.

John Jacob Astor had no such belief in luck omens, portents,
or mascots as had A. T. Stewart. With him success was a
sequence--a result--it was all cause and effect. A. T. Stewart
did not trust entirely to luck, for he too, carefully devised and
planned. But the difference between the Celtic and Teutonic
mind is shown in that Stewart hoped to succeed, while Astor
knew that he would. One was a bit anxious; the other
exasperatingly placid.

Astor took a deep interest in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

He went to Washington to see Lewis, and questioned him
at great length about the Northwest. Legend says that he
gave the hardy discoverer a thousand dollars, which was a
big amount for him to give away.

Once a committee called on him with a subscription list for
some worthy charity. Astor subscribed fifty dollars. One of
the disappointed committee remarked, ``Oh, Mr. Astor, your
son William gave us a hundred dollars.''

``Yes,'' said the old man, ``But you must remember that
William has a rich father.''

Washington Irving has told the story of Astoria at length. It
was the one financial plunge taken by John Jacob Astor.