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DOMESTIC FELICITY.

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He ac

and here established a new homestead. quired nearly three hundred acres of land adjoining, and for several years took great pleasure in the building up of a fine herd of short-horn cattle. A few years later, upon the organization of the Cornell University, he donated the principal portion of this beautiful farm to that institution, retaining only some twenty-five acres for his own

use.

The dwelling-house at Forest Park not fully meeting the demands of modern times, Mr. Cornell determined to erect a new one as a permanent family residence. Pending the construction of this edifice, he found it convenient to reside in the village of Ithaca, occupying the large brick dwelling at the corner of Tioga and Seneca Streets, opposite the Cornell Library. This was his home from the spring of 1869, until his death, which occurred in this house in December, 1874.

Rarely does it happen to man to find more perfect satisfaction in his marital relations, than Mr. Cornell enjoyed, during the more than forty years of his married life. Often and again he has been heard to attribute his prosperity in life, to the assistance and encouragement which he received from his wife. In the early days, she was the companion of his joys and sorrows, while in the years of his great struggle with fortune, she was

the inspiring spirit at home, in the care of his young family, ever faithful, ever patient and cheerful, with firm confidence in his final and complete success. Thus sustained at home, with high hope he labored on, until after long toil and struggle, he was enabled to triumph over obstacles which sometimes seemed almost insurmountable, and finally to retire from active business with a fortune far greater than he had ever hoped for. Nor was he more loyally supported by his wife, in the building up of his great fortune, than in the devotion of a large proportion of it to the noble institutions of learning he founded, which will carry his name with undiminished lustre, to a long line of future generations.

CHAPTER VI.

SEEKING BUSINESS.

Financial Crisis, 1837.-Business Prostration.-Out of Employment.—Barnaby and Mooers' Patent Plow.-Trip to Maine, 1842.-Hon. F. O. J. Smith.-First Acquaintance.—Visits Georgia.—Fifteen Hundred Miles on Foot.-Return Home.Second Visit to Maine.-Renewal of Acquaintance.-A Peculiar Machine Wanted. The Telegraph.-A New Invention. -First Meeting with Professor Morse.-Successful Experiment. Engagement in Telegraph Enterprise.-Proceeds to New York. Criticising Imperfect Pipe.-Warning Unheeded.

THE great monetary crisis of 1836-37, will long be remembered in consequence of the wide-spread disaster visited upon commercial activities throughout the entire country. While the violence of the financial storm gradually subsided, it was followed by a paralysis of industrial interests, which continued for several years. Labor was in slight demand, and consequently every avenue to employment was crowded with applicants. Such was the condition of affairs in 1841, when, by the retirement of Colonel Beebe from milling operations at Fall Creek, Mr. Cornell found himself without occupation.

For some months he endeavored to find new business, but without satisfactory results, and, as an alternative, he purchased from his neighbors, Messrs. Barnaby & Mooers, the patent rights for the States of Maine and Georgia, of an improved plow which they had recently invented, and determined to visit those States, for the purpose of selling the interests thus acquired. Mr. Cornell, therefore, in 1842, proceeded to Maine, with the object of introducing the new invention to the farmers of that State, and, as a preliminary, sought the acquaintance of the editor of the Maine Farmer, an agricultural paper of considerable influence, then published at Portland, presuming that favorable notice therein would be his best introduction to the more intelligent citizens. The editor and publisher of this paper proved to be the Hon. Francis O. J. Smith, then a member of Congress from the Portland district, and a man of much influence in the State of Maine. Con. vinced of its merits, Mr. Smith became a ready advocate of the new plow, and strongly commended it to the attention of his readers. Very cordial relations were speedily established between Mr. Cornell, and the editor of the Maine Farmer, and the office of that paper, became the headquarters of the stranger, during the several months of his tarry in the State.

VISITS GEORGIA.

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In the autumn of the same year, Mr. Cornell, went to Georgia, with the purpose of interesting the agriculturists of that State in the use of the new plow. At that time the facilities for travel in the Southern States, were very meagre, there being no railroads and the stages were quite primitive. From Washington to Augusta, Ga., he proceeded on foot, making an average of forty miles each day. He travelled in like manner, largely through Georgia, and as far as Washington on his return, making a distance of about fifteen hundred miles. He had a threefold object in determining upon this mode of travelling; first, economy; second, that he could choose his own route; and third, that walking was ever to him a pleasure and privilege. He was not much encouraged by the reception that was accorded to his presentation of the plow in the South, and returned home without having accomplished anything satisfactory in that region.

After spending a few months at home with his family, Mr. Cornell, in July, 1843, proceeded again to Maine, to close up the plow interests in that State, which he had left uncompleted the preceding year. This journey also, was made on foot from Ithaca to Albany, covering the distance of one hundred and sixty miles in four days. From Albany he travelled by railway to Boston, thence on foot

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