background as the inventor of the reaper. He was
unwilling to push himself forward, and his claim to distinction has had
to rest solely upon the merits of his greatest invention.

Mr. Hussey first began work on his reaper in a room at the factory of
Richard B. Chenoweth, a manufacturer of agricultural implements, and the
story of those early efforts is told by Sarah A. Chenoweth, a
granddaughter of the latter:

[Sidenote: Early Efforts]

"As a child, it seemed that I had always known Mr. Hussey. I saw him
every day of my life, for he lived in a room, the use of which my
grandfather, Richard B. Chenoweth, a manufacturer of agricultural
implements in Baltimore City, had given him at his factory. No grown
person was allowed to enter, for in this room he spent most of his time
making patterns for the perfecting of his reaper. I, unforbidden, was
his constant visitor, and asked him numberless questions, one of which,
I remember, was why he washed and dried his dishes with shavings. His
reply was characteristic of himself, 'Shavings are clean.'

[Sidenote: First Trial]

"At this time I was about seven years of age, having been born in 1824.
Although very poor at the time, he was a man of education, upright and
honorable, and so very gentle in both speech and manner that I never
knew fear or awe of him. I do not know for a certainty how long he
remained there,--several years, at the least, I think, but of his
connection with the reaper, I am _positive_, for it was talked of
morning, noon and night. To this day, my brother bears on his finger a
scar, made by receiving a cut from one of the teeth of the machine.
When, finally, the model was completed, it was brought out into the yard
of the factory for trial. This trial was made on a board, drilled with
holes, and stuck full of rye straws. I helped to put those very straws
in place. Mr. Hussey, with repressed excitement, stood watching, and
when he saw the perfect success of his invention, he hastened to his
room too moved and agitated to speak. This scene is vividly impressed on
my mind, as is also a remark made by a workman, that Mr. Hussey did not
wish us to see the tears in his eyes."

The story of Mr. Hussey's efforts at that time is also told by a brother
of the little granddaughter:

"Chicago, Nov. 25, 1893.

"Clark Lane, Esq.,
"Elkhart, Ind.

"My Dear Sir:--

"I notice in this morning's 'Inter Ocean' your letter of 22nd in
regard to