As the reader will suppose, Jerome made a large fortune—­a princely fortune—­for himself, and entirely revolutionized the clock-making trade of the Union.  Thanks to him, scores of fortunes have been made by other manufacturers also, and American clocks have become famous all over the world for their excellence and cheapness.  “Go where you will, in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America, you will be sure to come upon Yankee clocks.  To England they go by the shipload.  Germany, France, Russia, Spain, Italy, all take large quantities.  Many have been sent to China and to the East Indies.  At Jerusalem, Connecticut clocks tick on many a shelf, and travelers have found them far up the Nile, in Guinea, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in all the accessible places of South America.”

After conducting his business for some years, Mr. Jerome organized the Jerome Clock-Making Company, of New Haven.  It began its operations with a large capital, and conducted them upon an extensive scale.  In a few years Mr. Jerome retired from the active management of its affairs, but continued nominally at its head as its president.  He built for himself an elegant mansion in New Haven, where he gathered about him his family and the friends which his sterling qualities and upright character had drawn to him, and here he hoped to pass the remainder of his days.

He was doomed to a bitter disappointment.  Although nominally at the head of the Clock Company, he left its control entirely to his partners, who, by injudicious management, brought it at length to the verge of bankruptcy.  They made energetic efforts to ward off the final catastrophe, but without success, and in 1860, almost before Mr. Jerome was aware of the full extent of the trouble, the Company was ruined.  Its liabilities were heavy, and every dollar’s worth of Jerome’s property was taken to meet them.  Honest to the core, he gave up every thing.  His elegant mansion was sold, and he was forced to remove to an humble cottage, a poorer man than when he had first set up for himself as a carpenter.

He was not the man to repine, however, and he at once began to look about him for employment.  He was sixty-seven years old, and it was hard to go out into the world to earn his bread again, but he bore his misfortunes bravely, and soon succeeded in obtaining the employment he desired.  The great Clock Company of Chicago engaged him at a liberal salary to superintend their manufactory in that city, which position he still holds.  The Company manufacture his own clocks, and are fortunate in having the benefit of his genius and experience.  Were he a younger man, there can be no doubt that he would win a second fortune equal to that which was swept from him so cruelly, through no fault of his own.  As it is, we can only venture to hope that his sturdy independence and indomitable energy will provide him with the means of passing the closing years of his life in comfort.  Few men have done the world better service, or been more worthy of its rewards.