first savings—Takes a wife—A master carpenter—Poor pay and hard work—Buys a house—A dull winter—Enters Mr. Terry's factory—The wooden clock business—Sets up in business for himself—Industry and energy rewarded—His first order—Sends his clocks South—Enlarges his business—Improvements in his clocks—Losses on southern shipments from dampness—Depression of business—Jerome's anxiety—A wakeful night—Invention of the brass—A new era in the clock trade—Beneficial effects of Jerome's invention—Magnitude of the Connecticut clock trade at present—Growth of Jerome's business—Makes a fortune—Organization of the "Jerome Clock-making Company"—Practical withdrawal of Mr. Jerome—Difficulties of the company—Jerome a ruined man—Honest independence—Finds employment—Becomes the manager of the Chicago Company.
CHAPTER XVII.
ELIAS HOWE, JR.
The first sewing-machine—Birth of Elias Howe—A poor man's son—Raised to hard work—His first employment—The little mill-boy—Delicate health—Goes to Lowell to seek his fortune—Thrown out of employment—Removes to Cambridge—Works in a machine shop with N.P. Banks—Marries—A rash step—Growing troubles—A hard lot—Conceives the idea of a sewing-machine—His first experiments unsuccessful—Invents the lock stitch and perfects the sewing-machine—Hindered by his poverty—A hard struggle—Finds a partner—His winter's task—His attic work-shop—Completion of the model—Perfection of Howe's invention—Efforts to dispose of the invention—Disappointed hopes—Popular incredulity—Becomes an engine driver—Amasa Howe goes to England with the sewing-machine—Bargain with the London merchant—Elias removes to London—Loses his situation—The