Soon my two brothers and myself with several neighboring young men were into the business, and in the Spring of 1861 Alonzo Shepherd and myself ventured a trip to Long Island by the way of New York City. On this trip we acquired both wealth and fame. The ridiculous instances of our travels often come up before me now. We were continually playing tricks on each other which always ended in laughter. On this trip we became horse traders, which proved to be more lucrative than peddling. In 1863 I shipped my team to Batavia, New York, and in August sent for my brother Gordon to come to Dunkirk, where I had another team, and we peddled through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, returning to Connecticut in the Fall, after which I returned to Elba, N. Y., where, December 10th, I married Mary Jane Hoyt, a beautiful, intelligent girl of twenty years. The following year, 1864, with several other teams each, we came West again and returned to Albany for the winter. On my return I followed the shore road of Lake Ontario around to Watertown, N. Y., while Gordon returned through Pennsylvania, our object being to buy horses of the mountain farmers. [Illustration: MARY JANE HOYT, ELBA. N. Y., 1863. WILDER WOODS. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN THE SUMMER BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED.] THE THOMPSON FAMILY. From Watertown, I worked East, where I fell in with a family by the name of Thompson, who owned a large stock-raising farm in the foot hills of Mount Seward, not far from North Elba, the Adirondack home of John Brown. My experience with the Thompsons left a vivid impression on my memory which never grows dim. As I remember them Mr. Thompson was short, heavy set, blue eyed, fair complexion, with a physiognomy indicating that he seldom suffered defeat. He was usually thoughtful and serious, but when telling stories or relating experience he was full of mirth. Mary, his wife, was an interesting woman. Her stout figure, dark eyes and hair with fair skin made her look striking, especially in laughing, when her eyes twinkled and gave expression of mirth. All the animals on the farm were seemingly her special pets, but their little dog Joe came in for the lion's share. Really the little white, curly fellow with black eyes and nose, when standing erect with head and tail up, did look as though he was monarch of all he surveyed. Everybody loved him except the cats. Much of Mrs. Thompson's time was given over to church work, for which she must have been well fitted, as her Christian character was discernible at every move and turn. Vida, their daughter of sixteen summers, was fair, with large dark eyes, auburn hair and prominent chin. Her quick glance and mirthful smile betokened self-esteem and decisive character, while glee and dare innocently portrayed pent emotion and artful design.