ing has been done. It was built
at two different periods: one portion of it, that of the "post and
plaster work," being built probably in the 15th century, while the newer
or later portion of stone was erected about 1648, for that date is
inscribed on the porch.

The inside does not appear to have received much care or improvement.
Originally the windows were much larger than at present. Pitt's window
tax, long since repealed, was the direct cause for the reducing of the
windows from their former proportions.

The illustration gives an excellent idea of its present-day appearance.
The building is always an object of extreme interest to visitors to the
locality, presenting even now a very picturesque appearance.

Image: FIG. 23.--The Hall ith Wood, where the spinning mule was invented.

Very soon after the removal of the family to the Hall ith Wood, Samuel's
father died. His mother, however, one of the best of women, filled the
duties of head of the house with much success, and followed the
laborious occupation of farming, and in her leisure moments, did what
many housewives of her class did--carded, spun, and wove, in order to
provide her family and herself with a decent livelihood.

She managed to give what might be termed under the circumstances a most
excellent and practical education to her son Samuel; and it may be here
remarked, that in many respects he was the exact opposite of his
predecessor Arkwright. The latter was certainly a bustling, pushing man
of business, while Crompton was a born inventor and recluse, and be it
said also, as big a failure, as a business man, as could be well
conceived. Of course Arkwright, as is well known, was the opposite of
this.

The early youth of Crompton was identified with the great progress in
the cotton industry of England, and, at fifteen or sixteen years of age,
he was to be found assisting his mother during the daytime, while in the
evenings he attended night-classes in Bolton, where he made great
progress in mathematics. He was so good at the latter subject that he
was called "a witch at figures."

It may be taken as perfectly natural that a man of the character,
training and early associations of Crompton should turn to invention in
connection with the cotton industry, especially since the beginning of
his association with the trade there had always been a scarcity of weft
for the loom which he and his mother operated.

The continual efforts of English weavers o