I have had a long, long life full of troubles, but there is one curious fact about them--nine tenths of them never happened." True indeed; most of the troubles of humanity are imaginary and should be laughed out of court.

It is folly to cross a bridge until you come to it, or to bid the Devil good-morning until you meet him--perfect folly.

All is well until the stroke falls, and even then nine times out of ten it is not so bad as anticipated.

A wise man is the confirmed optimist.
Success in these various negotiations had brought me into some notice in New York, and my next large operation was in connection with the Union Pacific Railway in 1871.

One of its directors came to me saying that they must raise in some way a sum of six hundred thousand dollars (equal to many millions to-day) to carry them through a crisis; and some friends who knew me and were on the executive committee of that road had suggested that I might be able to obtain the money and at the same time get for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company virtual control of that important Western line.