事业 · 创业者自述
P.T. 巴纳姆：奋斗与胜利·补录 21
P.T. 巴纳姆《奋斗与胜利》· Struggles and Triumphs · 领导
On the 7th of September, 1825, my father, who had been sick since the month of March, died at the age of forty-eight years. My mother was left with five children, of whom I, at fifteen years of age, was the eldest, while the youngest was but seven. It was soon apparent that my father had provided nothing for the support of his family; his estate was insolvent, and it did not pay fifty cents on the dollar. My mother, by economy, industry, and perseverance, succeeded in a few years afterwards in redeeming the homestead and becoming its sole possessor; but, at the date of the death of my father, the world looked gloomy indeed; the few dollars I had accumulated and loaned to my father, holding his note therefor, were decided to be the property of a minor, belonging to the father and so to the estate, and my small claim was ruled out. I was obliged to get trusted for the pair of shoes I wore to my father’s funeral. I literally began the world with nothing, and was barefooted at that.
出处：
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50115
定位：Additional excerpt 21 · 核对日期：2026-10-19 · 核验：短摘录
白话
巴纳姆十五岁时父亲病逝，家里五个孩子他最大，最小的才七岁。父亲没留下任何养家的钱，遗产资不抵债，连一美元都付不出五毛。他之前攒了点钱借给父亲，有借条，但法律认定未成年人财产归父亲，借条作废。他连去葬礼穿的鞋都是赊的，真正赤脚开始闯世界。核心是：起点再惨也能翻身，关键在母亲靠节俭、勤劳和坚持几年后赎回了家园。做法是接受现实、不抱怨，从零开始，靠勤奋和信用一点点积累。
上下文
这是马戏大王巴纳姆自传《奋斗与胜利》中的片段，回忆1825年父亲去世后家道中落的少年经历。
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