Washington is the capital city of the United States.
The picture, when finished, was very beautiful.
It was sold at last to an Englishman.
About this time a great friend of America visited Washington.
Have you heard of General La Fayette?
You can read what great things he did for our country.
Every American loved him then.
Even the people who live now, love his memory.
Mr. Morse was engaged to paint the portrait of General La Fayette.
He began the picture.
Before he had finished, he received dreadful news from home.
His loved wife had died very suddenly.
He hastened home.
It seemed too hard to bear.
Not long afterwards he lost his father.
He then went to live in New York.
There he worked hard at his art.
His artist friends made him president of their society.
This was the National Academy.
While in New York he heard some lectures about electricity.
He thought about it and talked much with his friends.
He wished to visit beautiful Italy.
So, in 1829, he sailed for Europe.
His friends there gave him a hearty welcome.
He visited many cities.
He met General La Fayette again.
He visited him in his home.
Mr. Morse had always been fond of inventions.
He himself invented a pump at one time.
At another, he tried his hand at making a machine for cutting
marble.
He was always experimenting with colors, and other things used by
artists.
The year 1832 had arrived.
You will see, by and by, that it is a good date to remember.
People knew almost nothing about speed in traveling.
In that year the longest railroad was in the southern part of the
United States.
It was one hundred thirty-five miles long.
The next longer was in England.
It was thirty miles long.
The next was in Massachusetts.
It was ten miles long.
The mails were carried in coaches.
On the first day of October, 1832, Mr. Morse sailed for America.