ociation thus helping the future Railway
Engineer to earn a few extra shillings by overwork in the evenings, at a
time when both occupied the rank of humble working men in an obscure
northern village.

Mr. Fairbairn was also a frequent visitor at George's cottage on the
Quay, where, though there was no luxury, there was comfort, cleanliness,
and a pervading spirit of industry. Even at home George was never for a
moment idle. When there was no ballast to heave out at the Quay he took
in shoes to mend; and from mending he proceeded to making them, as well
as shoe-lasts, in which he was admitted to be very expert.

But an accident occurred in Stephenson's household about this time, which
had the effect of directing his industry into a new and still more
profitable channel. The cottage chimney took fire one day in his
absence, when the alarmed neighbours, rushing in, threw quantities of
water upon the flames; and some, in their zeal, even mounted the ridge of
the house, and poured buckets of water down the chimney. The fire was
soon put out, but the house was thoroughly soaked. When George came home
he found everything in disorder, and his new furniture covered with soot.
The eight-day clock, which hung against the wall--one of the most
highly-prized articles in the house--was much damaged by the steam with
which the room had been filled; and its wheels were so clogged by the
dust and soot that it was brought to a complete standstill. George was
always ready to turn his hand to anything, and his ingenuity, never at
fault, immediately set to work to repair the unfortunate clock. He was
advised to send it to the clockmaker, but that would cost money; and he
declared that he would repair it himself--at least he would try. The
clock was accordingly taken to pieces and cleaned; the tools which he had
been accumulating for the purpose of constructing his Perpetual Motion
machine, enabled him to do this readily; and he succeeded so well that,
shortly after, the neighbours sent him their clocks to clean, and he soon
became one of the most famous clock-doctors in the neighbourhood.

It was while living at Willington Quay that George Stephenson's only son
was born, on the 16th of October, 1803. The child was a great favourite
with his father, and added much to the happiness of his evening hours.
George's "philoprogenitiveness," as phrenologists call it, had been
exercised hitherto upon birds, dogs, rabbits, and even the poo