"'What has become of painting?' I think I hear you ask. Ah, my dear sir, when I have diligently and perseveringly wooed the coquettish jade for twenty years, and she then jilts me, what can I do? But I do her injustice, she is not to blame, but her guardian for the time being. I shall not give her up yet in despair, but pursue her even with lightning, and so overtake her at last. "I am now absorbed in my arrangements for fulfilling my designs with the Telegraph in accordance with the act of Congress. I know not that I shall be able to complete my experiment before Congress meets again, but I shall endeavor to show it to them at their next session." CHAPTER XXX MARCH 15, 1848--JUNE 13, 1844 Work on first telegraph line begun.--Gale, Fisher, and Vail appointed assistants.--F.O.J. Smith to secure contract for trenching.--Morse not satisfied with contract.--Death of Washington Allston.--Reports to Secretary of the Treasury.--Prophesies Atlantic cable.--Failure of underground wires.--Carelessness of Fisher.--F.O.J. Smith shows cloven hoof.--Ezra Cornell solves a difficult problem.--Cornell's plan for insulation endorsed by Professor Henry.--Many discouragements.--Work finally progresses favorably.--Frelinghuysen's nomination as Vice-President reported by telegraph.--Line to Baltimore completed.-- First message.--Triumph.--Reports of Democratic Convention.--First long-distance conversation.--Utility of telegraph established.--Offer to sell to Government. Out of the darkness of despair into which he had been plunged, Morse had at last emerged into the sunlight of success. For a little while he basked in its rays with no cloud to obscure the horizon, but his respite was short, for new difficulties soon arose, and new trials and sorrows soon darkened his path. Immediately after the telegraph bill had become a law he set to work with energy to carry out its provisions. He decided, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. J.C. Spencer, to erect the experimental line between Washington and Baltimore, along the line of railway, and all the preliminaries and details were carefully planned. With the sanction of the Secretary he appointed Professors Gale and Fisher as his assistants, and soon after added Mr. Alfred Vail to their number. He returned to New York, and from there wrote to Vail on March 15:-- "You will not fail, with your brother and, if possible, your father, to be in New York on Tuesday the 21st, to meet the proprietors of the Telegraph. I was on the point of coming out this afternoon with young Mr. Serrell, the patentee of the lead-pipe machine, which I think promises to be the best for our purposes of all that have been invented, as to it can be applied '_a mode of filling lead-pipe with wire_,' for which Professor Fisher and myself have entered a caveat at the Patent Office." Vail gladly agreed to serve as assistant in the construction of the line, and, on March 21 signed the following agreement:--