208 Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitney. e -. 
my young friend, you propose studying the law; make my house — 
your home—your room your castle, and there pursue what studies ‘ 
you please. He accordingly commenced the study of the lay 
der that hospitable roof. ae 
Mrs. Greene was engaged in a piece of embroidery in whichis 
employed a peculiar kind of frame called a tambour. She complain- 
ed that it was badly constructed, and that it tore the delicate threads 
of her work. Mr. Whitney, eager for an opportunity to oblige his 
hostess, set himself at work and speedily produced a tambour frame 
made ona plan entirely new, which he presented to her. Mr 
Greene and her family were greatly delighted with it, and thought it 
a wonderful proof of ingenuity. 
Not long afterwards, a large party of gentlemen came from Augus- 
ta and the Upper country, to visit the family of Gen. Greene, consist- 
ing principally of officers who had served under the General in the 
Revolutionary army. Among the number were Major Bremen, 
Major Forsyth, and Major Pendleton. ‘They fell into conversation 
upon the state of agriculture among them, and expressed great regret 
that there was no means of cleaning the green seed cotton, oF sepa- 
rating it from its seed, since all the lands which were unsuitable 
the cultivation of rice, would yield large crops of cotton 
until ingenuity could devise some machine which would grea 
cilitate the process of cleaning, it was in vain to think of raising cot- 
ton for market. Separating one pound of the clean staple from the 
seed was a day’s work for a woman; but the time usually devoted to 
picking cotton was the evening, after the labor of the field was over 
Then the slaves, men, women and children, were collected in circles 
with one, whose duty it was to rouse the dozing and quicken the m- 
dolent. While the company were engaged in this conversation 
* sentlemen (said Mrs. Greene,) apply to my young friend Mr. Whit 
ney—he can make any thing.” Upon which she con 
into a neighboring room, and showed them her tambour frame, a0" 
a number of toys which Mr. W. had made, or repaired for the 
»dren. She then introduced the gentlemen to Whitney himself, e 
ee a 
“J 
* Several years afterwards, his partner, Mr. Miller, writes to Mr. Wwhitney> sth 
i employment enough ¥ 
&e. 
that, apprehend you will ultimately be compelled to become ignorant and 
ful in these things, in your own defence. 
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tly fa- 
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