Recall the words of him Columbia's gifted son; Whose fame, which time can never dim, "A Presbyterian staid, My sire, of the olden line; My mother's vows were daily paid At the Holy Virgin's shrine. In the church paternal, learned I first from out the Word; And later, to that fold I turned, To worship there, the Lord. "Yet not for all there be In the Presidential name, (Though given a thousand-fold to me,) Of honor, wealth, and fame, Would I offences give, Or rash that faith deride, By which my mother sweetly lived, In which she peaceful died.” CHAPTER IV. LIFE ON THE FARM. WHEN I returned from the war, I took up teaching again for a time, but my parents were getting old, and I was needed at home; and, in keeping with a vow I made when recovering from a serious sickness, while in my country's service, I responded to the call of filial duty. During those days of convalescence aboard ship, I fell to meditating on the disappointments and heart-aches I had caused my parents, and that even then they were sitting lonely in the old home, mourning for one son dead, and the other far away, mid scenes of strife that might never give him back to them again; and I then made the vow, that whatever my tastes and aspirations, if I ever reached home again, I would remain with them through their declining years. That vow was faithfully kept. I duly assumed the management of the farm, at the same time continuing my scientific studies, which I am in truth compelled to say, sometimes received more attention than the growing crops. But under my father's direction, and profiting by his advice, I made a living for us - and that was all. Soon after deciding to settle down, I married a young lady from Albany, N. Y.Miss. H. Alida Bradt; a granddaughter of Gen. Garrett Sager, who was a prominent man of his day, and a large landholder in the Hudson Valley. She was willing to share with me, "Life on the farm," and we soon found ourselves members of a very pleasant set of young married people, with whom we enjoyed many happy social events, which are still bright places in our memory. We indulged in parties, picnics drives, sails on the beautiful Canadarago Lake; and having early learned to play the organ, and also to read vocal music fairly well, I was chosen for many years to serve as chorister, or leader of the musical part of our church service; and our weekly meetings for choir practice were always pleasant occasions. Thus life ran smoothly with us, it being only diversified by my struggles and disappointments in the field of invention, to which reference is made in the introductory pages of this volume, and an occasional discovery or triumph in the physical investigation I was pursuing. So there is little to relate of interest to the reader, till we come to the important event which broke up this period of calm, and enlisted me more actively in the cause to which I have given the best thought and effort of the best years of my life. Both of my parents and my uncle were dead, and my promise to remain on the farm no longer held me; yet still I tarried in the old home, which was endeared to me by so many ties, old and new. But a swift stroke of Providence changed my course, which approaches so nearly to the miraculous, that I will recount the circumstance for the benefit of those who no longer believe that God is able to work miracles; forgetting that their own bodies, with their various capabilities, are more wonderful works of his hand, than those recorded events of Sacred History which they seek to discredit. A PERILOUS INCIDENT. The event of which I write, came about, in this wise: My eldest son, then twelve years old, and myself, seated on a high load of farm produce, were coming down quite a steep declivity in the highway, at the foot of which was a broad and stony water-channel, spanned by a wooden bridge. In making this descent, something about the wagon gave away, and the load came against the horses, a young and spirited pair, and with an uncontrollable frenzy, they dashed at full speed down the hill. On reaching the bridge the load came in contact with the side railing, which stopped the wagon instantly, freeing the horses, who continued their flight, and firing me, as from a catapult, diagonally over the railing of the bridge, and on an inclined curve across the I |