NEW YORK LETTER By Norman. New York, Jan. 14. William Rockefeller was known as a shy man long before the Pujo com mittee sleuths got after him. His brother, Johrr., dislikes public ity, but accepts it good-naturedly when it is forced upon him. Wil liam has an absolute horror of courts, of newspapers, of report ers, of photographers. It is said of him that he has never had a lawsuit as a private individual. - This little-knojm multimillion aire has other interesting traits. He is one of the most courteous of individuals. He has always smok ed a great deal, and he smokes very excellent cigars. But if he is dictating to a stenographer and a puff of smoke drifts the stenog rapher's way he will apologize, and by opening a window or changing his position make sure that there will be no further an noyance. He is very serious and one of the greatest economists in the use" of words that the world has ever known. As a listener he always gives satisfaction. When a prop osition is being laid before him he doesn't do anything except listen until it has all been unfolded. Then, if he doesn't cars for it, he says "No." And that's all he will say. No reason, no discussion. If he is favorably inclined it doesn't take many words to close the deal. Many Wall street men say that William Rockefeller is the big gest .speculator in stocks, in America. If the reports of the ex tent of his operations are true, and if he could guess right every time, he would have gathered to United States before this. But, with all his wealth and his "inside information," he gets bumped now and then like any other spec ulator. On his estate at Tarrytown there are hundreds' of squirrels. In the early fall, each yeais the purchasing agent of the Standard Oil Co. buys for Mr. Rockefeller twenty barrels of hickory nuts to feed the furry tenants during the snowy months. Samples have to be submitted. The purchasing agent keeps a nutcracker at his office for this yearly event. Rock efeller cracks and eats nuts from the various samples submitted and thus decides with whom the order shall be placed. Like John D., William is fond of bread and milk, and it usually constitutes his lunch. He is one of the greatest lovers of the trot ting horse in America. o o An old country woman entered . a drug store in an old market town one morning and carefully looked over a case containing, fancy soaps. "I'll take one cake ot soap UKe tnai, sne saiu ai 1orVi nnintincr nut the kind she required. "Will you have it scent ed or not?" asked the druggist. "Oh, I'll just take it along with me," said she. Unfortunately, counter feit money still continues to be a thing of the passed.