For a long time the work went on very slowly, for inventors must eat and sleep and pay their way in the world. While Morse was struggling over his machine and trying to make himself master of the strange force called electricity, he was very often hungry and at times even on the point of starvation. [Illustration: THE FIRST TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT] [Sidenote: =Alfred Vail=] Now came a bright spot in his career. A young man named Alfred Vail, an excellent mechanic, saw Morse's telegraph instruments, and immediately believed they would be successful. Young Vail borrowed money and became Morse's assistant in the great work. For what he did he deserves credit next to Morse himself. [Sidenote: =Getting ready for Congress=] [Sidenote: =Behind locked doors=] A patent must now be had and the telegraph must be so improved that they could show it to a committee of Congress. It was arranged that Vail and a mechanic by the name of Baxter should do the work behind locked doors. For, if some one should happen to see the instruments, and obtain a patent first, then Morse and Vail would be ruined. [Sidenote: =The dot and dash alphabet=] In the locked shop the two men worked steadily day after day. Vail made many improvements. Among these was the new "dot and dash" alphabet. At last, one day in January, 1838, everything was in complete working order. Baxter, hatless and coatless, ran for Mr. Vail's father to come at once and see the telegraph work. [Illustration: MORSE SHOWING HIS COMPLETED WORK] [Sidenote: =The final test=] [Sidenote: =Patented in Morse's name=] At one end of the wire stood young Vail, and at the other stood Morse. This wire was stretched around the room so that it was three miles in length. The elder Vail wrote: "A patient waiter is no loser." He said to his son: "If you can send this message, and Mr. Morse can read it at the other end, I shall be convinced." It was done, and there was great rejoicing. The invention was hurried to Washington, and young Vail took out a patent in the name of Morse. [Illustration: MORSE LISTENING TO CONGRESS MAKING FUN OF HIS INVENTION] [Sidenote: =Congressmen watch the instruments=] Morse obtained permission to set up his telegraphic instruments in rooms in the capitol. These rooms were filled with congressmen watching the strange business. Members in one room would carry on witty conversations with persons in the other room. This was great fun for those looking on. But it was slow work talking with members of Congress and winning their help. [Sidenote: =Congress makes fun of the idea=] =134. The Government Aids.= Finally Morse asked for thirty thousand dollars to build a line from Washington to Baltimore. The bill met opposition, one member moving that a part of the money be used in building a railroad to the moon, another that it be used in making experiments in mesmerism. [Illustration: SAMUEL F. B. MORSE _From a photograph taken by Abraham Bogardus, New York City_]