COMMKRCIAL DISAPPOINTMENTS. 97 



mortification attending such a trial, if he has (as every human 

 being should have,) a good purpose in life for which to live and 

 " hope on," he may add firmness to hope, and derive lasting 

 advantage by having proved to himself, that, with a clear con- 

 science and a high purpose, a man may be happy within prison 

 walls, as well as in any other (even the most fortunate,) circum- 

 stances in life. 



In order to cancel a large portion of his indebtedness, he was 

 induced to dispose of the good- will and the control of the steel 

 fork manufacture, retaining an interest in it with his successors. 

 This interest he subsequently relinquished for a similar purpose. 



The monopoly of this branch of industry had remained with 

 the senior partner and the firm for more than twenty years, and 

 it was with real regret that the writer parted with the last 

 pecuniary advantage of a business, from which he had, for many 

 years, anticipated an independence for life. At this period he 

 relinquished all interest in the manufacturing firm in Connec- 

 ticut, without obtaining a discharge from their former liabilities, 

 upon which he was subjected to the imprisonments and em- 

 barrassments alluded to. 



In reflecting upon the past, as relates to these branches of 

 industry, the writer is not disposed to repine, and say that he 

 has planted, and others have gathered the fruits. The advan- 

 tages of a career in life should not be estimated exclusively by 

 the standard of dollars and cents, as is too often done. Man 

 has just cause for regret when he sows and no one reaps. And, 

 besides, he was, for many years, amply compensated in a 

 pecuniary way ; and it is also a satisfaction to know, that among 

 the numerous domestic hardware houses that have since been 

 established in all our large cities, two* of the most respectable 

 and wealthy are the immediate successors of the original firm. 



A short time previous to his failure in Philadelphia, two other 

 improvements, which were the invention of others, engaged 

 his attention. These were unsuccessful at the time. They 

 are alluded to here as deserving of notice, first, because they 



* Messrs. Heaton & Denckla, and Messrs. Curtis <fe Hand, Philadelphia. 



