Edison worked hard all his
life, often working all night in his laboratory, and would not come home for
days at a time. When asked what makes a genius he said, "Genius is
99% perspiration and 1% inspiration." Edison married his first wife,
Mary Stilwell, when he was 24. She was only 16 at the time. The
story goes that he tapped out his proposal to her in Morse code on a
gas-pipe: "Will you marry me?" "I will"came the
reply, also in Morse code.
Mary died when Edison was
37 years old and two years later he married his second wife, Mina Miller.
Although most of the inventions which made Edison famous were made in the first
half of his life, Edison continued to work and invent till he was over 70,
often working 16 hours a day! During his long and productive life Edison
made 1,300 inventions. Edison died on October 18, 1931, at the age of
84. America and the world mourned his
passing.
Reading Practice
EXTRA READING ABOUT THOMAS EDISON
- How old was Edison when he left school?