No work could be had.

I was in debt for my little house and lot which I had bought only a short time before, near the center of Plymouth, and had a payment to make on it the next spring.

I proposed going south to the city of Baltimore, to obtain work, and had already made preparations to go and leave my young family for the winter, at which I could not help feeling very sad, when I accidentally heard that Mr.Eli Terry was about to fit up his factory (which was built the year before,) for making his new Patent Shelf Clock.

I thought perhaps I could get a job with him, and started immediately to see Mr.
Terry, and closed a bargain with him at once.

I never shall forget the great good feeling that this bargain gave me.