P);^^— — ■ — — — — — 



f 



126 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



the effort to obtain larger specimens was at last relinquished, 

 and he was compelled to take with him to New York those sam- 

 ples only which had been heated before an open fire in his 

 dwelling. With these specimens he now endeavored to get to 

 New York, having no hope of being listened to where he then 

 was. 



He had the assm'ance from an individual formerly in his em- 

 ployment, that on coming to Boston he would lend him fifty 

 dollars, whereby his family could be maintained in his absence, 

 and his expenses paid to New York. Arriving in Boston he 

 was disappointed in this. He remained at a hotel from Monday 

 until Saturday, hoping to obtain from some source the sum re- 

 quired. He at last applied where he had reason to expect it, 

 for the sum of five dollars, with which he might return to his 

 family ; this was refused. At night his bill at the hotel was 

 presented. Mortified and chagrined, he walked, meditating on 

 his condition until late at night. He strayed into East Cam- 

 bridge, and stopped at the house of a friend, who received him 

 kindly and made him comfortable for the night. Early next 

 morning he walked ten miles to his home, and was met at the 

 door by one of the family, saying that his youngest boy, two 

 years of age, who was in perfect health when he left home, was 

 then dying. He thanked God for being turned back to the rescue 

 of his family, for they had already been denied the subsistence 

 promised by a dealer when he left. 



The inventor then represented, by letter, the situation of his 

 family, to a gentleman in Boston, a sincere friend, by whom he 

 was confident that he could not be refused, and was not. He 

 received from him the sum of seven dollars, out of regard, as he 

 said, for his family, with a severe reprimand for himself for not 

 turning his attention to some occupation that would support them. 

 A stranger to the inventor, who happened to be at his friend's 

 ofl[ice, upon the receipt of his letter, forwarded to him a barrel 

 of flour, which was indeed a timely relief and source of heartfelt 

 gratitude. 



He next addressed a letter to a relation in a distant part of 





