It was late in the Fall of 1801, when he recovered sufficiently to arise from his bed. But he arose as a cripple. The injury he had received from his unfortunate journey was permanent, and he was unable for some time after his rising from a sick bed to walk, or even to stand. Thus helpless in body, whilst active in mind, he pondered over his future. As a farmer he was no longer of any use, and unless some other mode of livelihood was adopted he must remain a dependent on his relations. This was galling his independent nature, and he determined to avoid it if possible. [Illustration: I am Respectfully Leonard Case] His hands were free if his feet gave promise of but little usefulness. He concluded that the pen would be a fitter implement for his purposes than the plow, and he took measures accordingly. Whilst lying in bed, unable to rise, he had a board fastened before him in such a manner as to serve for a desk. With this contrivance he worked diligently, whilst lying otherwise helpless, to acquire the rudiments of knowledge. He learned to write and cipher with moderate ease and correctness, and when he had matured the contents of an arithmetical text book, which was the property of his mother, he borrowed a few works on the higher branches of mathematics from some surveyors in the neighborhood. From the knowledge in this way acquired, he conceived the desire to be a surveyor and he set to work energetically to perfect himself in that science so far as it could be done by books. He was embarrassed by the want of even the most simple instruments. A semi-circle for measuring angles was made by cutting a groove the required shape on a piece of soft wood, and filling it by melting and running in a pewter spoon, making an arc of metal on which the graduated scale was etched. A pair of dividers was improvised from a piece of hickory, by making the centre thin, bending it over, putting pins at the points, and regulating its spread by twisting a cord. But more education was needed, and if he expected to pursue the path he had marked out in his mind, he must leave his home and venture out in the world. To do this, money was needed, for to a cripple like him the first struggle in the battle of life would be almost hopeless, if he entered on it totally without resources. As seen, he had already manifested a strong mechanical bent. He was domestic carpenter, making and repairing such articles as were needed in the household. This ability he immediately commenced to turn to account. A rude chair suitable to his needs was mounted on wheels, and in this he was able to reach the edge of the woods surrounding the house, where he cut twigs and made baskets, which were purchased by the neighbors. Other jobs requiring mechanical skill were done by him for the neighborhood, and in this way a small fund was gradually accumulated with which to make his meditated start in life.