ife," and they are fortunate who walk at the beginning and ride at
the close.

When his day's work was over he liked to read.

His companions made fun of him because he would not join them.

He made a little money by extra work.

He hired a teacher, to whom he recited evenings.

He was often very tired, but he never complained.

He had many friends because he was always good-natured.

He used often to say to himself, "If ever I get rich I will build a
place where the poor girls and boys of New York may have an
education free."

Wasn't that a queer thought for a boy who earned only fifty cents a
week?

Yet perhaps his even dreaming such dreams helped him to do the great
things of which I shall tell you.

Now, Peter noticed that the tools which they worked with in the
carriage shop were not very good.

So he began to try to make better ones.

He succeeded in doing so, but Mr. Woodward, the man for whom he
worked, had all the benefit of his work.

But at last Peter's apprenticeship was over.

Much to his surprise Mr. Woodward one day called him into his
office.

"You have been very faithful," he said, "and I will set you up in a
carriage manufactory of your own.

"You could pay me back the money borrowed in a few years."

This was a remarkable offer for a poor young man.

But Peter had made it a solemn rule of his life never to go in debt.

So he thanked Mr. Woodward very earnestly, but declined his offer.

It was then Mr. Woodward's turn to be astonished.

But he knew Peter was right, and respected his good judgment in the
matter.

We may now call Peter Cooper a mechanic.

A mechanic is one who has skill in using tools in shaping wood,
metals, etc.

Peter now found a situation in a woolen mill at Hempstead, Long
Island.

Here he received nine dollars a week.

Still he kept trying to find better ways of doing things.

He invented a machine for shearing cloth, and from that earned five
hundred dollars in two years.

With so much money as this he could not rest until he had visited
his mother.

He found his parents deeply in debt.

He gave them the whole of his money, and promised to do more than
that.

His father had not made a mistake in naming him after the Apostle
Peter.

During this time Mr. Cooper had learned to know a beautiful girl
named Sarah Bedell. This girl became his wife.

They moved to New York.

Here Mr. Cooper had a grocery-store.

A friend advised him to buy