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and time in luxurious dissipation, such as costly wines,
gambling, hunting, and epicurean feasts; he rather held aloof
from all society of that description. Possessing considerable
skill as an engineer, he spent large sums in procuring different
kinds of agricultural machinery, and attempted to introduce
more rational methods of cultivating the land.
Alexander was born in 1860. Even in his earliest years he
gave signs of mechanical and mathematical ability, and was
never so happy as when engaged with machines. Whenever
his father was occupied on work of this description, either on
the repair of old or the construction of new machinery,
Alexander would be at his side. At twelve years of age he could
himself turn out excellent locksmith’s work, which he practised
with great assiduity in the few spare hours left to him from
his other school studies, and so developed his mechanical
talents very remarkably.
His father was at this time occupied with improvements in
railroad construction, when a great misfortune befell him; he
lost the use of his right arm by a paralytic stroke. This
threw all the responsibility for the finer mechanical work on
his young son. A model of a locomotive and a railroad, made
by Alexander, exhibited such skill and finish that even
specialists were astonished at his workmanship, and predicted
for him a brilliant career. It was not only in mechanics that
he shone. Teachers and schoolmasters joined in awarding
him the palm of distinction above all his comrades in his
school studies.
But this keenness of intellect led him into dangerous paths.
As early as his fifteenth year he began to look at things
with a critical eye; fond of learning and devouring all the
information within his reach, he naturally began to make
comparisons, and analyse the conditions of life he found around
him. He became the centre of a large circle of youths of his
own age, some of them thoughtful and earnest in their own
characters, others attracted simply by the example of their
fellows, and swayed by more powerful natures than theirs.
While under the magnetic influence of their nobler comrades,
these seemed to themselves and others to burn with unselfish
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