People in England sent messages by the Atlantic cable that they, too, had sad hearts.
Who was this man for whom the world mourned on that April day?
Was he a president? Oh, no.
A great general? Far from it.
Did he live magnificently and have splendid carriages and fine diamonds?
No, he was simply Peter Cooper, a man ninety-two years old, and the best loved man in America.
Had he given money?
Yes, but other men in our country do that
Had he traveled abroad, and so become widely known?
No, he would never go to Europe because he wished to use his money in a different way.