had just soled, and of which he had made such a "capital job."

Out of his earnings from shoe-mending at Callerton, George contrived to save his first guinea. The first guinea saved by a working man is no trivial thing. If, as in Stephenson's case, it has been the result of prudent self-denial, of extra labour at bye-hours, and of sound resolutions to save and economise for worthy purposes, the first guinea saved is an earnest of better things. It is a nest-egg-a token of increase the beginning, it may be, of prosperity and wealth. When Stephenson had saved this guinea he was somewhat proud of the achievement, and expressed the opinion to a friend, who many years after reminded him of it, that he was 66 now a rich man.”

At Callerton, Stephenson-habitually sober and steadywas a standing example of character to the other workmen. He never missed a day's wages by being off work in consequence of a drinking-bout, as many others did. William Coe says of him, that, though he knew Stephenson intimately, he never saw him "the worse for drink" in his life. On pay Saturday afternoons, when the workmen at the pit kept their fortnightly holiday, some spending their afternoon and evening in the public-house, and others in the adjoining fields, cock-fighing and dog-fighting, Stephenson, instead of either drinking or playing, used to take his engine to pieces for the purpose of obtaining "insight" and practical acquaintance with its details; and he invariably cleaned all the parts and put the machine in thorough working order before leaving her. Thus his engine was always clean and in excellent condition, and his knowledge of its powers and its mechanism became almost complete.

In the winter evenings Stephenson proceeded with his lessons in arithmetic under Andrew Robertson. But Robertson had soon taught his pupil all that he himself knew,

which probably did not amount to much. He even admitted that be could carry Stephenson no further in arithmetic, the pupil having outstripped the master. He went on, however, with his writing lessons; and by the year following, when he signed his name in the parish registry of Newburn, on the occasion of his marriage to Fanny Henderson, he was able to write a good, legible round hand.

George continued very fond of measuring his strength and agility, as at Newburn, with his fellow-workmen, and he maintained his prestige at lifting heavy weights and throwing the hammer. He also occasionally indulged in a little sporting by stealth; and in after life he was accustomed to tell a story of going out with some of the pitmen to shoot crows in a neighbouring wood, early one summer's morning, while it was yet grey, when, proceeding across the fields, he thought he saw a hare sitting on her form. Taking sure aim, he "let drive." The hare did not stir. to the game to bag it, lo! it was only a big grey stone he had been firing at! George's "dead shot" was long a standing joke against him amongst the pitmen.

Running up

Not long after he began to work at Black Callerton as brakesman, he had a quarrel with a pitman named Ned Nelson, a roistering bully, who was the terror of the village. Nelson was a great fighter; and it was therefore considered dangerous to quarrel with him. Stephenson was so unfortunate as not to be able to please this pitman by the way in which he drew him out of the pit; and Nelson swore at him grossly because of the alleged clumsiness of his brakeing. George defended himself and appealed to the testimony of the other workmen. But Nelson had not been accustomed to George's style of self-assertion; and, after a great deal of abuse, he threatened to kick the brakesman, who defied him to do so. Nelson ended by challenging Stephenson to a pitched battle; and the latter accepted the

challenge, when a day was fixed on which the fight was to come off.

Great was the excitement at Black Callerton when it was known that George Stephenson had accepted Nelson's challenge. Everybody said that he would be killed. The villagers the young men, and especially the boys of the place, with whom George was an especial favourite all wished that he might beat Nelson, but they scarcely dared to say so. They came about him while he was at work in the enginehouse, to inquire if it was really true that he was "goin to feight Nelson?" "Ay; never fear for me; I'll feight him." And "feight" him he did. For some days previous to the appointed day of battle, Nelson went entirely off work for the purpose of keeping himself fresh and strong, whereas Stephenson went on doing his daily work, as usual, and appeared not in the least disconcerted by the prospect of the affair. So, on the evening appointed, after George had done his day's labour, he went into the Dolly Pit Field, where his already exulting rival was ready to meet him. George stripped, and "went in " like a practised pugilist — though it was his first and last fight. After a few rounds, George's wiry muscles and practised strength enabled him severely to punish his adversary, and to secure for himself an easy victory.

This circumstance is related in illustration of Stephenson's personal pluck and courage; and it was thoroughly characteristic of the man. He was no pugilist, and the very reverse of quarrelsome. But he would not be put down by the bully of the colliery, and he fought him. There his pugilism ended; they afterwards shook hands, and continued good friends. In after life, Stephenson's mettle was often as hardly tried, though in a different way; and he did not fail to exhibit the same resolute courage, in contending with the bullies of the railway world, as he had thus early shown in his encounter with Ned Nelson, the fighting pitman of Black Callerton.

29

CHAP. V.

MARRIAGE, AND HOUSEKEEPING AT WILLINGTON QUAY.

By dint of thrift, sobriety, and industry, George Stephenson managed to save as much money at Black Callerton as enabled him, on leaving it for Willington Ballast Quay, to take a house and furnish it in a very humble style, for the reception of his young bride, Fanny Henderson.

Willington Quay, whither Stephenson now went to act as brakesman at the Ballast Hill, lies on the north bank of the Tyne, about six miles below Newcastle. It consists of a line of houses straggling along the river side; and high behind it towers up the huge mound of ballast emptied out of the ships which resort to the quay for their cargoes of coal for the London market. The ballast is thrown out of the ship's hold into waggons laid alongside. When filled, a train of these is dragged up the steep incline which leads to the summit of the Ballast Hill, where the waggons are run out and their contents emptied to swell the monstrous accumulation of earth, chalk, and Thames mud already laid there, probably to form a puzzle for future antiquaries and geologists, when the origin of these immense hills along the Tyne has been forgotten. On the summit of the Willington Ballast Hill was a fixed engine, which drew the trains of laden waggons up the incline; and of this engine George Stephenson now acted as brakesman.

The cottage in which he took up his abode is a small two

with a

storied dwelling, standing a little back from the quay, bit of garden ground in front. The Stephenson family occupied the upper room in the west end of the cottage. Close behind rises the Ballast Hill.

When the cottage dwelling had been made snug, and prepared for the young wife's reception, the marriage took place. It was celebrated in Newburn Church, on the 28th of November, 1802.

George Stephenson's signature, as it stands in the books, is that of a person who seems to have just learnt to write. Yet it is the signature of a man, written slowly and deliberately, in strong round hand. With all his care, however, he had not been able to avoid a blotch; the word "Stephenson" has been brushed over before the ink was dry.

After the ceremony, George and his newly wedded wife proceeded to the house of old Robert Stephenson and his wife Mabel at Jolly's Close. The old man was now becoming infirm, though he still worked as an engine fireman, and contrived with difficulty" to keep his head above water." When the visit had been paid, the bridal party prepared to set out for their new home at Willington Quay. They went in a homely old-fashioned style, though one quite usual in those days, before macadamised roads had been adopted, or travelling by railway so much as dreamt of. Two stout farm horses were borrowed from Mr. Burn, of the Red House Farm, Wolsingham, where Anne Henderson, the bride's sister, lived as servant. The two horses were each provided with a saddle and a pillion, and George having mounted one, his wife seated herself on the pillion behind him, holding on by her arms round his waist. Robert Gray and Anne Henderson in like manner mounted the other horse; and in this wise the wedding party rode across the country, passing through the old streets of Newcastle, and then by