sconded with about $3000.' I went immediately to Mr. Edison and
told him of the forgery and the amount of money taken, and in what an
embarrassing position we were for the next pay-roll. When I had finished
he said: 'It is too bad the money is gone, but I will tell you what to
do. Go and see the president of the bank which paid the forged checks.
Get him to admit the bank's liability, and then say to him that Mr.
Edison does not think the bank should suffer because he happened to have
a dishonest clerk in his employ. Also say to him that I shall not ask
them to make the amount good.' This was done; the bank admitting its
liability and being much pleased with this action. When I reported to
Mr. Edison he said: 'That's all right. We have made a friend of the
bank, and we may need friends later on.' And so it happened that some
time afterward, when we greatly needed help in the way of loans, the
bank willingly gave us the accommodations we required to tide us over a
critical period."

This iron-ore concentrating project had lain close to Edison's heart and
ambition--indeed, it had permeated his whole being to the exclusion
of almost all other investigations or inventions for a while. For five
years he had lived and worked steadily at Edison, leaving there only on
Saturday night to spend Sunday at his home in Orange, and returning to
the plant by an early train on Monday morning. Life at Edison was of the
simple kind--work, meals, and a few hours' sleep--day by day. The little
village, called into existence by the concentrating works, was of the
most primitive nature and offered nothing in the way of frivolity or
amusement. Even the scenery is austere. Hence Edison was enabled
to follow his natural bent in being surrounded day and night by his
responsible chosen associates, with whom he worked uninterrupted by
outsiders from early morning away into the late hours of the evening.
Those who were laboring with him, inspired by his unflagging enthusiasm,
followed his example and devoted all their long waking hours to the
furtherance of his plans with a zeal that ultimately bore fruit in the
practical success here recorded.

In view of its present status, this colossal enterprise at Edison may
well be likened to the prologue of a play that is to be subsequently
enacted for the benefit of future generations, but before ringing down
the curtain it is desirable to preserve the unities by quoting the
words of one of the principal a