Human labor had apparently lost its usefulness; a solitary man or woman, perched upon a seat and driving a pair of horses, now performed all these operations of husbandry.
By this time, scores of manufacturers had entered the field in opposition to McCormick, but his acquisition of Withington's invention had apparently made his position secure.

Indeed, for the next ten years he had everything his own way.

Then suddenly an ex-keeper of a drygoods store in Maine crossed his path.

This was William Deering, a character quite as energetic, forceful, and pugnacious as was McCormick himself.
Though McCormick had made and sold thousands of his selfbinders, farmers were already showing signs of discontent.

The wire proved a continual annoyance.