master of the construction of the steam-engine. He tried to remedy its defects, and by constant attention to his duties, soon gained the reputation of being a clever and improving workman.

10. He was now eighteen years old, earning twelve shillings a week, and occupied with his engine twelve hours a day. But he had never learned to read. His parents could not afford to send him to school, but they had tried to train him to good habits at home, and best of all, they had set him a good example. He had been taught to use every minute wisely, and now he determined to learn to read and write. At the age of nineteen he was proud to be able to write his own name. He began to learn arithmetic, and would work out his problems upon a slate as he sat by his engine-fire.

11. When twenty years of age, Stephenson had so thoroughly gained the confidence of his employers that he was appointed to the responsible office of brakesman-the most important and best paid office connected with the engine. His duty was to superintend the working of the engine and machinery, by means of which the workmen ascended and descended the pit, and the coals were drawn out.

locomotive, moving from | triumphantly, as if he place to place. assigned, given. leisure time, when he could do what he liked.

promoted, raised. ambition, strong desire. exhausted, worked out.

had done some great thing. ardently, earnestly.

reputation, name.

responsible, having a great deal depending

upon it.

an-nounc-ed ex-per-i-ment

earn-ings

en-gine

ma-chin-e-ry

man-age-ment

pos-sess-ed sys-tem

scarce-ly trav-el-ling spe-ci-al un-plast-er-ed

Of what was George Stephenson the inventor? Where was he born? Describe his birthplace. What made his father a favourite with children? What was George's first employment? How did he, when a boy, employ his spare time? Give an instance of his love of birds. What was his great ambition? What did he say when his wages reached twelve shillings a week? When did he learn to read and write?

1. Being anxious to settle in life in a home of his own, George Stephenson became very expert in mending and afterwards in making shoes, and this increased his weekly earnings. He records with

thankful joy the fact of his having saved his first guinea, and he said to a friend that "he was now a rich man." Thus industry, sobriety, and thrift, were the true secret of Stephenson's success as a young man, and these sterling qualities afterwards made him useful, prosperous, and honoured.

2. After his marriage in 1802, he still employed his leisure in mending shoes, and then proceeded to make shoe-lasts, in which he did a very good trade. An accident having happened to his clock, he took it to pieces, and repaired the mischief so well that other clocks were sent to him, and he soon became one of the most famous clock-doctors in the neighbourhood.

3. But a heavy trial awaited him in the early death of his wife, leaving one son, Robert Stephenson. He was now employed as brakesman in the Killingworth Colliery. He went away for one year to superintend the working of one of Watt's engines at Montrose in Scotland. On his return he found his father had been blinded by an accident and reduced to want. With part of the money saved in Scotland, George at once paid off his father's debts and placed him and his mother in a comfortable cottage near his own home, where he supported them until their death.

4. A great triumph now awaited him, the fitting reward of his own close attention and perseverance. An engine of defective construction had been erected for the purpose of pumping out the water from a neighbouring pit. It proved utterly incapable of doing the work for which it had been erected.

All

the best engineers in the district had tried to remedy its defects and failed. Stephenson examined it, and expressed his belief that he could make it efficient, and, as a last resource, he was asked to undertake it. Very quickly the pit was cleared of water, and George received a present of ten pounds for the job -the largest sum he had ever received up to this time in one amount. His fame as an engineer was now firmly established.

5. It would be a pleasant task to follow the growing success of this noble young man step by step— to read of his honest pride at having saved his first 100 guineas of his resolve to give his son the best education he could, of his own unceasing efforts at self-improvement, of his ingenuity, his untiring industry and his masculine vigour. In 1812, when thirty-one years of age he was appointed enginewright to the Killingworth Colliery at a salary of £100 a year.

6. One interesting fact we must mention. With the assistance of his son, and a copy of Ferguson's Astronomy which Robert had brought from Newcastle, Stephenson resolved to construct a sun-dial in front of his cottage. Many difficulties were in the way, but perseverance and ingenuity overcame them all, and at last the sun-dial was fixed much to the astonishment of the neighbours. It is believed that the dial still remains with the date carved upon it, "August 11th, 1816."

7. Thus amid difficulties of no ordinary kind, George Stephenson was gradually preparing himself for his great and enduring work, the construction

of the locomotive engine, and the introduction of the vast railway system, which still ranks highest amid all the wonderful products of this wonderful nineteenth century.

How did George Stephenson increase his earnings? What made him think he was now a rich man? Why did he go to Scotland? What did he find on his return? What great triumph awaited him? What appointment did he receive at thirty-one years of age? Give the story of his sun-dial. For what great work was Stephenson gradually preparing himself?