evious attempts to put it to rights, the people in the house where
Murdoch lodged were awakened one night by heavy tramping in his room
over-head. Upon entering, Murdoch was seen in his bed clothes heaving
away at the bed post in his sleep, calling out "Now she goes, lads, now
she goes." His heart was in his work. He had a mission, and only one--to
make that engine go.

Of course he rose. There's no holding down such a "dreamer" anywhere in
this world. It was not only that he had zeal, for he had sense with it,
and was not less successful in conquering the rude Cornishmen who had
baffled, annoyed and intimidated Watt. He won their hearts. His ability
did not end with curing the defects of machinery; he knew how to manage
men. At first he had to depend upon his physical powers. He was an
athlete not indisposed to lead the strenuous life. He had not been very
long in Cornwall before half a dozen of the mining captains, a class
that had tormented poor, retiring and modest Watt, entered the
engine-room and began their bullying tricks on him. The Scotch blood was
up, Murdoch quietly locked the door and said to the captains, "Now then
gentlemen, you shall not leave until we have settled matters once for
all." He selected the biggest Cornishman and squared off. The contest
was soon over. Murdoch vanquished the bully and was ready for the next.
The captains, seeing the kind of man he was, offered terms of peace,
hands were shaken all round and they parted good friends, and remained
so. We are past that rude age. The skilled, educated manager of to-day
can use no weapon so effectively with skilled men as the supreme force
of gentleness, the manner, language and action of the educated man, even
to the calm, low voice never raised to passionate pitch. He conquers and
commands others because he has command of himself.

We must not lose sight of Murdoch. In addition to his rare qualities, he
possessed mechanical genius. He was the inventor of lighting by gas, and
it was he who made the first model of a locomotive. There was no
emergency with engines, no accident, no blunder, but Murdoch was called
in. We read with surprise that his wages even in 1780 were only five
dollars per week. He then modestly asked for an advance, but this was
not given. A present of one hundred dollars, however, was made to him in
recognition of his unusual services. Probably the explanation of the
failure to increase his wages at the time was that, owing to