GEORGE STEPHENSON. 71 



also indulged himself in a stock of tame rabbits, and used to 

 pride him on the superiority of his breed. When fourteen he 

 R'as appointed assistant fireman to his father at Dewley Burn, 

 at the wage of one shilling a-day. His great ambition at the time 

 was to become an engineman. When his wages were afterwards 

 raised to twelve shillings a-week at another place, on announc- 

 ing the fact to his fellow-workmen, he added, " I am now a made 

 man for life." At seventeen, he had charge of a pumping engine 

 at which his father acted as fireman. His duty was to watch the 

 engine and see that it worked well, also that the pumps were 

 drawing efficiently. But Stephenson was no mere mechanical 

 engineman, he applied himself to the study of its different 

 parts, taking it down and putting it together again, so that he 

 was soon able to dispense with the assistance of the eugineer 

 of the colliery. When eighteen years of age, and when in 

 charge of the engine at a wage of twelve shillings a-week, he 

 began to remedy his defective education, and commenced to 

 learn to read. His first teacher was Robin Cowens, a poor 

 teacher in Walbottle, who kept a night school, which was 

 attended by a few of the colliers' and labourers' sons in the 

 district. This school was exchanged for one kept by a Scotch 

 dominie, where Stephenson made rapid progress in arithmetic, 

 and also learned to write. When twenty years of age he had 

 become brakesman at Black Callerton pits. The duty of the 

 brakesman was to superintend the working of the engine and 

 machinery by means of which the coals were drawn out of the 

 pit. He also took his turn on the night-shift, and his vacant 

 night hours were either utilised in doing sums, in practising 

 writing, or in shoemaking or mending. An attachment formed 

 at this time for a young woman named Fanny Henderson, a 

 servant at a neighbouring farm-house, stimulated him in t!:u; 



