sufficiently close to the eyes. We now know that this is a case of
near sight, and we must fit them with glasses for distance. The
weakest concave that will enable him to see the line that should be
seen on the distance card at 20 feet is the proper one to give him for
use.--_The Optician._

* * * * *

CHARLES GOODYEAR.

CHARLES GOODYEAR was born in New Haven, December 29, 1800. He was the
son of Amasa Goodyear, and the eldest among six children. His father
was quite proud of being a descendant of Stephen Goodyear, one of the
founders of the colony of New Haven in 1638.

Amasa Goodyear owned a little farm on the neck of land in New Haven
which is now known as Oyster Point, and it was here that Charles spent
the earliest years of his life. When, however, he was quite young, his
father secured an interest in a patent for the manufacture of ivory
buttons, and looking for a convenient location for a small mill,
settled at Naugatuck, Conn., where he made use of the valuable water
power that is there. Aside from his manufacturing, the elder Goodyear
ran a farm, and between the two lines of industry kept young Charles
pretty busy.

In 1816, Charles left his home and went to Philadelphia to learn the
hardware business. He worked at this very industriously until he was
twenty-one years old, and then, returning to Connecticut, entered into
partnership with his father at the old stand in Naugatuck, where they
manufactured not only ivory and metal buttons, but a variety of
agricultural implements, which were just beginning to be appreciated
by the farmers. In August of 1824 he was united in marriage with
Clarissa Beecher, a woman of remarkable strength of character and
kindness of disposition, and one who in after years was of the
greatest assistance to the impulsive inventor. Two years later he
removed again to Philadelphia, and there opened a hardware store. His
specialties were the valuable agricultural implements that his firm
had been manufacturing, and after the first distrust of home made
goods had worn away--for all agricultural implements were imported
from England at that time--he found himself established at the head of
a successful business.

This continued to increase until it seemed but a question of a few
years until he would be a very wealthy man. Between 1829 and 1830 he
suddenly broke down in health, being troubled with dyspepsia. At the
same time came the failure o