His great ambition was to get on and succeed at any cost.

There was no work, however hard and disagreeable, that he would not undertake.

Midas like, he turned to gold everything he touched, and became one of the wealthiest merchants of Philadelphia.

His abnormal love of money cannot be commended, but his thoroughness in all he did, his public spirit at times of national need, and willingness to risk his life to save strangers sick with the deadly yellow fever, are traits of character well worthy of imitation.
John Wanamaker walked four miles to Philadelphia every day, and worked in a bookstore for one dollar and twenty-five cents a week.

He next worked in a clothing store at an advance of twenty-five cents a week.
From this he went up and up until he became one of the greatest living merchants.