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others in mob…caps and ruffles both ancient grandmothers of long ago。
The 〃li'l room ob Marse Richard；〃 to which in the morning Malachi directed all his master's visitors； was in an old…fashioned one…story out…house； with a sloping roof； that nestled under the shade of a big tulip… tree in the back yarda cool； damp； brick…paved old yard； shut in between high walls mantled with ivy and Virginia creeper and capped by rows of broken bottles sunk in mortar。 This out…building had once served as servants' quarters； and it still had the open fireplace and broad hearth before which many a black mammy had toasted the toes of her pickaninnies； as well as the trap…door in the ceiling leading to the loft where they had slept。 Two windows which peered out from under bushy eyebrows of tangled honeysuckle gave the only light； a green…painted wooden door； which swung level with the moist bricks； the only entrance。
It was at this green…painted wooden door that you would have had to knock to find the man of all others about Kennedy Square most beloved； and the man of all others least understoodRichard Horn； the distinguished inventor。
Perhaps at the first rap he would have been too absorbed to hear you。 He would have been bending over his carpenter…benchhis deep； thoughtful eyes fixed on a drawing spread out before him； the shavings pushed back to give him room； a pair of compasses held between his fingers。 Or he might have been raking the coals of his forgeset up in the same fireplace that had warmed the toes of the pickaninnies； his long red calico working…gown； which clung about his spare body； tucked between his knees to keep it from the blaze。 Or he might have been stirring a pot of gluea wooden model in his hand or hammering away on some bit of hot iron； the brown paper cap that hid his sparse gray locks pushed down over his broad forehead to protect it from the heat。
When； however； his ear had caught the tap of your knuckles and he had thrown wide the green door； what a welcome would have awaited you！ How warm the grasp of his fine old hand； how cordial his greeting。
〃Disturb me； my dear sir；〃 he would have said in answer to your apologies； 〃that's what I was put in the world for。 I love to be disturbed。 Please do it every day。 Come in！ Come in！ It's delightful to get hold of your hand。〃
If you were his friend； and most men who knew him were； he would have slipped his arm through your own； and after a brief moment you would have found yourself poring over a detailed plan； his arm still in yours； while he showed you the outline of some pin； or lever； needed to perfect the most marvellous of all discoveries of modern timeshis new galvanic motor。
If it were your first visit； and he had touched in you some sympathetic chord； he would have uncovered a nondescript combination of glass jars； horse…shoe magnets； and copper wires which lay in a curious shaped box beneath one of the windows； and in a voice trembling with emotion as he spoke； he would have explained to you the value of this or that lever； and its necessary relation to this new invention of his which was so soon to revolutionize the motive power of the world。 Or he would perhaps have talked to you as he did to me； of his theories and beliefs and of what he felt sure the future would bring forth。
〃The days of steam…power are already numbered。 I may not live to see it； but you will。 This new force is almost within my grasp。 I know people laugh； but so they have always done。 All inventors who have benefited mankind have first been received with ridicule。 I can expect no better treatment。 But I have no fear of the result。 The steady destruction of our forests and the eating up of our coal…fields must throw us back on chemistry for our working power。 There is only one solution of this problemit lies in the employment of a force which this machine will compel to our uses。 I have not perfected the apparatus yet； as you see； but it is only a question of time。 To… morrow； perhaps； or next week； or next yearbut it will surely come。 See what Charles Bright and this Mr。 Cyrus Field are accomplishing。 If it astonishes you to realize that we will soon talk to each other across the ocean； why should the supplanting of steam by a new energy seem so extraordinary？ The problems which they have worked out along the lines of electricity； I am trying to work out along the lines of galvanism。 Both will ultimately benefit the human race。
And while he talked you would have listened with your eyes and ears wide open； and your heart too； and believed every word he said； no matter how practical you might have been or how unwilling at first to be convinced。
On another day perhaps you might have chanced to knock at his door when some serious complication had vexed hima day when the cogs and pulleys upon which he had depended for certain demonstration had become so tangled up in his busy brain that he had thoughts for nothing else。 Then； had he pushed pack his green door to receive you； his greeting might have been as cordial and his welcome as hearty； but before long you would have found his eyes gazing into vacancy； or he would have stopped half…way in an answer to your question； his thoughts far away。 Had you loved him you would then have closed the green door behind you and left him alone。 Had you remained you would； perhaps； have seen him spring from his seat and pick up from his work…bench some unfinished fragment。 This he would have plunged into the smouldering embers of his forge and； entirely forgetful of your presence； would have seized the handle of the bellows； his eyes intent on the blaze； his lips muttering broken sentences。 At these moments； as he would peer into the curling smoke； one thin hand upraised； the long calico gown wrinkling about his spare body； the paper cap on his head； he would have looked like some alchemist of old； or weird necromancer weaving a mystic spell。 Sometimes； as you watched his face； with the glow of the coals lighting up his earnest eyes； there would have flashed across his troubled features； as heat lightning illumines a cloud； some sudden brightness from within followed by a quick smile of triumph。 The rebellious fragment had been mastered。 For the hundredth time the great motor was a success！
And yet； had this very pin or crank or cog； on which he had set such store； refused the next hour or day or week to do its work； no trace of his disappointment would have been found in his face or speech。 His faith was always supreme； his belief in his ideals unshaken。 If the pin or crank would not answer； the lever or pulley would。 It was the 〃adjustment〃 that was at fault； not the principle。 And so the dear old man would work on； week after week； only to abandon his results again； and with equal cheerfulness and enthusiasm to begin upon another appliance totally unlike any other he had tried before。 〃It was only a mile…stone；〃 he would say； 〃every one that I pass brings me so much nearer the end。〃
If you had been only a strangersome savant； for instance； who wanted a problem in mechanics solved； or a professor； blinded by the dazzling light of the almost daily discoveries of the time； in search of mental ammunition to fire