His mother's death, on the evening of Friday, August the 16th, was made known to those living in the village of Stockbridge, according to the custom of that time, by the tolling of the church-bell. After that six strokes were given to show that a woman had died, nine would have been struck for a man, or three for a child. Her age was then slowly rung, and as one year after another was recorded, each brought back to her family the joy or sorrow with which that year had been filled. Her funeral was on Sunday, the 18th. A number of her friends among the elderly ladies of the town acted as pall-bearers, and another custom then observed was for the officiating clergyman, after the grave had been filled--and every one waited until that was done--to return thanks in the name of the family to all who had shown them kindness and sympathy in their bereavement. Of her funeral the Rev. John Todd, of Pittsfield, Mass., wrote: "At the gateway of one of our beautiful rural cemeteries a large funeral was just entering.... The bier was resting on the shoulders of four tall, noble-looking men in the prime of life.... Very slowly and carefully they trod, as if the sleeper should not feel the motion. And who was on the bier, so carefully and tenderly borne? It was their own mother. Never did I see a grief more reverent or respect more profound." A few days later Mr. Field wrote to a friend, on the death of a child: "Having myself experienced such a calamity, I can judge of your feelings, and most sincerely sympathize with you and your good wife on this melancholy occasion. I hope you will both bear it with Christian fortitude, _for it is God's will_, and no doubt for some wise purpose." Referring to his life-work, on October 23d he writes: "Who first conceived the idea of a telegraph across the Atlantic I know not. It may have been before I was born. "I have made twenty-four sea voyages solely for the purpose of connecting Europe and America by telegraph, and although the cable laid is not now in operation, the experience gained will, I doubt not, be the means of causing another cable to be submerged that will successfully connect Newfoundland and Ireland." At 10 P.M. on October 26th this message from San Francisco was received: "CYRUS W. FIELD, New York: "The Pacific telegraph calls the Atlantic cable. "A. W. BEE." He replied: "Your message received. The Atlantic cable is not dead, but sleepeth. In due time it will answer the call of the Pacific telegraph." On October 29th, in a letter to a friend in Newfoundland: "There is now a very much increased interest being felt here in the importance of an early laying of another Atlantic cable from Ireland to Newfoundland, thus connecting Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.