Then, indeed, Mr. Morse was in despair.

A bill had been brought before Congress, asking for thirty thousand dollars.

This was to build the trial telegraph line.

Oh, how anxiously Mr. Morse waited!

Delay after delay came.

Many Congressmen in their speeches, made all manner of fun of the bill.

Twilight came upon the evening of March 3rd, 1842.

It was the last day of the session of Congress.

There were still one hundred and nineteen bills to dispose of.

It seemed impossible that the telegraph bill could be reached.

Mr. Morse had patiently waited all day.

At last he gave up all hope.

He left the building and went to his hotel.

He planned to leave for New York on an early train.

As he came down to breakfast next morning, a young lady met him.

"I have come to congratulate you," she exclaimed.

"Upon what?" inquired the professor.

"Upon the pa.s.sage of your bill," she replied.

"Impossible! Its fate was sealed last evening.

You must be mistaken."

"Not at all," said the young lady; "father sent me to tell you that your bill was pa.s.sed. It was pa.s.sed just five minutes before the close of the session."

Mr. Morse was almost overcome with the news.

He promised the young lady that she should send the first message over the new line.

Mr. Morse received a sad message in the midst of his joy.

This was the news of the death of his dearest friend, Mr. Allston.

He hastened to the home of his friend in Cambridge.

The brush with which Mr. Allston had been painting was still moist.

Mr. Morse begged this as a memorial of his friend.

He afterwards gave it to the National Academy.

Now that the bill was pa.s.sed, how hard he and his friend worked to build the line!

They tried putting the wires underground.

But this proved very expensive.

Then they tried the poles as we have them now.

This succeeded nicely.

1844 was the year for the appointing of a new President.

The Whig party were to hold their convention at Baltimore, in May.

The managers of the telegraph worked hard to get the line done before the meeting.

And, although the line was not finished, signals were arranged by which the message could be given.

At last the day came.

Henry Clay was nominated for President.

The news was sent by the wires to Washington.

Pa.s.sengers arrived from Baltimore an hour later.

They were astonished to find the news already known.

On the 24th of May the line was ready for its test.

Every one was anxious.

Mr. Vail was at the Baltimore end of the line.

Miss Ellsworth, the young lady who had the promise of sending the first message, was with Mr. Morse.

Remember the twelve long, weary, anxious years, during which Mr.

Morse had worked and waited.

It was an anxious moment.

Miss Ellsworth chose her message from the Bible.