HIS LIFE AND WORK 



a Reaper as the drivers of stage-coaches were to 

 railroads, or as the hackmen of to-day are 

 towards automobiles. 



At this moment of apparent defeat, a man 

 of striking appearance, who had been watching 

 the floundering of the Reaper with great inter- 

 est, came to the rescue. 



"I '11 give you a fair chance, young man," he 

 said. "That field of wheat on the other side of 

 the fence belongs to me. Pull down the fence 

 and cross over." 



This friend in need was the Honorable Wil- 

 liam Taylor, who was several years later a can- 

 didate for the governorship of Virginia. His 

 offer was at once accepted by Cyrus McCor- 

 mick, and as the second field was fairly level, 

 he laid low six acres of wheat before sundown. 

 This was no more than he had done in 1831, but 

 on this occasion he had conquered a larger and 

 more incredulous audience. 



After the sixth acre was cut, the Reaper was 

 driven with great acclaim into the town of Lex- 

 ington and placed on view in the court-house 

 square. Here it was carefully studied by a 



[39] 



