The passengers were much interested in some things which had lately
been found out about electricity.
People had long known that lightning and electricity were the same.
Signals had been made with electricity.
But the thought which came to Mr. Morse had never entered the mind
of man before.
He could think of nothing but a telegraph.
He thought night and day.
He seemed to see the end from the beginning.
As he sat upon the deck of the ship after dinner, he drew out a
little note book.
He began his plan in this little book.
From the beginning he said, "If a message will go ten miles without
dropping, I can make it go around the globe."
And he said this again and again during the years that came after.
Sleep forsook him.
But one morning at the breakfast table he announced his plan.
He showed it to the passengers.
And five years after, when the model was built, it was found to be
like the one shown that morning on board the ship "Sully."
"The steed called Lightning (say the Fates)
Was tamed in the United States;
'Twas Franklin's hand that caught the horse,
'Twas harnessed by Professor Morse."
Upon landing in America a long struggle began.
For twelve long years, Mr. Morse worked to get people to notice his
invention.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM SHOWING THE MORSE ALPHABET AND
ARRANGEMENT OF THE TELEGRAPH LINE.]
It would take much money to construct a real telegraph.
But money Mr. Morse did not have.
He had three motherless children to provide for.
He lived in a room in a fifth story of a building belonging to his
brothers.
This room was his study, studio, bed chamber, parlor, kitchen,
drawing room and work shop.
On one side of the room was his cot bed.
On the other were his tools.
He brought his simple food to his room at night.
This he did, that no one might see how little he had to eat.
He often gave lessons in painting.
One pupil did not pay promptly.
Mr. Morse asked to be paid.
The pupil gave him ten dollars, asking if he would accept it.
He said it would keep him from starving.
He had had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours.
The government, at this time, was giving some work to American
artists.
Mr. Morse knew he deserved to have a picture to paint.
But, through a mistake, he was not given one.
He felt much hurt by this.
But perhaps he would not have pushed his telegraph through, if he
had been given plenty of painting to do.
As it was, Morse, the painter, became Morse, the inventor.
It was not until 1837 that Mr. Morse had his wonderful invention
ready to exhibit.
During that year many people saw it.
Many thought it a silly toy.
Few dreamed of its importance.
Mr. Alfred Vail, whose father and brother had large brass and iron
works, was one of those who believed in it.
Mr. Vail decided to assist Mr. Morse.
He was young and liked machinery.
Long after, Mr. Morse said that much of the success of the telegraph
was due to Mr. Vail.
In 1838, Mr. Morse asked Congress to give him aid.
He wished to build a telegraph between Baltimore and Washington.
The President and others saw the telegraph exhibited.
A gentleman, named Mr. F.O.J. Smith, helped Mr. Morse with money.
But many Congressmen laughed at the idea.
Do you not think they felt ashamed when they found how great a thing
they had been laughing at?
While waiting for Congress to decide, Mr. Morse went to Europe
again.
He tried to get a patent in London, but it was refused him.
The French people gave him a paper which didn't mean much.
He met some great men, however, who did all they could for him.
Did you ever see a daguerreotype?
It is an old fashioned portrait.
Perhaps you can find some at home.
Mr. Morse met in Paris the man who first took these pictures.
His name was Mr. Daguerre.
You see how the pictures were named.
He was exhibiting his pictures at this time.
So the two greatest things in Paris in those days were the
electro-magnetic telegraph and daguerreotypes.
Mr. Daguerre and Mr. Morse became fast friends.
Mr. Daguerre taught Mr. Morse how to take daguerreotypes.
When Mr. Morse returned to America, he took some portraits of this
kind.
He also taught others how to do so.
Having returned to America, he found plenty to do.
He wished to try the telegraph under water.
He arranged about two miles of wire.
He put it into New York Harbor.
A row boat was used in placing it.
It was a beautiful moonlight night.
People walking along the shore might well wonder what kind of fish
were to be caught with such a long line.
At day break Professor Morse was ready for his experiment.
Two or three characters were sent on the line.
Then no more could be sent.
Some sailors, in pulling up their anchor, had caught the wire.
They pulled in about two hundred feet.
Then they cut the wire.
So ended the first cable.
The Vails had been good friends to Mr. Morse.
But they became afraid to spend any more money.
Then, indeed, Mr. Morse was in despair.
A bill had been brought before Congress, asking for thirty thousand
dollars.
This was to build the trial telegraph line.
Oh, how anxiously Mr. Morse waited!
Delay after delay came.
Many Congressmen in their speeches, made all manner of fun of the
bill.
Twilight came upon the evening of March 3rd, 1842.
It was the last day of the session of Congress.
There were still one hundred and nineteen bills to dispose of.
It seemed impossible that the telegraph bill could be reached.
Mr. Morse had patiently waited all day.
At last he gave up all hope.
He left the building and went to his hotel.
He planned to leave for New York on an early train.
As he came down to breakfast next morning, a young lady met him.
"I have come to congratulate you," she exclaimed.
"Upon what?" inquired the professor.
"Upon the passage of your bill," she replied.
"Impossible! Its fate was sealed last evening.