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Eclectic School Readings: Stories from Life by Orison Swett Marden
page 52 of 193 (26%)
imbibing facts which helped him to plan electrical achievements,
the possibilities of which have not, to this day, been exhausted,
--or even half realized. Like Franklin, he seemed to forecast the
scientific future for ages.

At length he was free to follow his bent, and his mind turned at
once to Sir Humphry Davy. With a beating heart, divided between
hope and fear, he wrote to the great man, telling what he wished,
and asking his aid. The scientist, remembering his own day of
small things, wrote the youth, politely, that he was going out of
town, but would see if he could, sometime, aid him. He also said
that "science is a harsh mistress, and, in a pecuniary point of
view, but poorly rewards those who devote themselves exclusively
to her service."

This was not very encouraging, but the young votary of science was
nothing daunted, and toiled at his uncongenial trade, with the
added discomfort of an ill-tempered employer, giving all his
evenings and odd moments to study and experiments.

Then came another red-letter day. He was growing depressed, and
feared that Sir Humphry had forgotten his quasi-promise, when one
evening a carriage stopped at the door, and out stepped an
important-looking footman in livery, with a note from the famous
scientist, requesting the young bookbinder to call on him on the
following morning. At last had come the answer to the prayer of
little Michael Faraday, as will come the answer to all who back
their prayers with patient, persistent hard work, in spite of
discouragement, disappointment, and failure. And when, on that
never-to-be-forgotten morning, he was engaged by the great
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