The Printer Boy; Or, How Benjamin Franklin Made His Mark. William Makepeace Thayer
own—The Success of the Ruse—Subsequent Interview of Benjamin and Ralph—Their Delight over the Result—The Exposure of Osborne at the next Meeting—His Mortification—Fate of Watson and Osborne—Advantage of such Literary Clubs
196–203
GOING TO ENGLAND.
Interview with Governor Keith—Arrangements to go to England in the Annis—Only one vessel a year to sail—Still works for Keimer—The latter a singular Man—Experiment of a Vegetable Diet—Keimer's Abhorrence of it—Eats the whole of a Pig at last—How Benjamin came to relinquish a Vegetable Diet—Courting Miss Read—Her Mother objects to Engagement—Ralph resolves to go with him—Four or Five Printing-offices then, and Two or Three Thousand now—The Governor's Letters—Set Sail—Arrival in London—Discovers that his Letters are Worthless—The Governor a Deceiver—Tells his Story to Denham—Goes to Work in a Printing-office—An Advantage of written Composition—His "Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain"—Won him Fame—Bargain with a Bookseller—Beer-drinking in the Office—Benjamin's Opposition to it—He wrought a Reform—His Firmness and Independence—Swimming—Drawn a Mile by his Kite on the Water—Advised to open a Swimming-School—Decides on Returning to America—A Scene forty years after
204–219
FAREWELL TO ENGLAND.
Arrival in Philadelphia—Calls on Keimer—Meets Governor Keith in the Street—Interview with Miss Read—His want of Fidelity—Denham opened a Store, and Benjamin was his Clerk—The Sickness of both—Denham dies—Benjamin thrown out of Business—Returns to his Trade, and works for Keimer—Legacy from Denham—His Fidelity always pleased his Employers—Many Youth do not care for the Employer's Success—Fidelity one Secret of Benjamin's Success—The Oxford Student—Dangers of Theatrical Amusements and Bad Company—Trouble with Keimer—Refuses to work for him—Arrangements to go into Business with Meredith
220–229
SETTING UP BUSINESS.
The Inventory—Keimer's Message—At Burlington—Friends made there—Interview with the Surveyor-general—Opening his Office—Samuel Mickle—His Croaking—The Result—Poetical Notice in the Printing-office—His Resolution in the Outset—His Industry—Prophecies about Failure—The Every-Night Club—The Lounger rebuked—Franklin never above his Business—Case of Judge Marshall—Economy—How he began to Keep House—Maxims—Integrity—The Slanderer turned away—Socrates and Archelaus—Business prosperous—Hopes and Fears—Coleman and Grace, and their Offer—Talk with Meredith, and the Latter leaves
230–243
THE JUNTO.
A Literary Club—What Franklin said of it—A New Proposition for a Library—Scarcity of Books—Franklin the Father of Circulating Libraries—Size of the First Library now—Questions asked by the "Junto"—Their Practical Character—Questions Discussed—Members limited to Twelve—No Improvement on the "Junto"—Franklin's Hand seen in it—All but one or two Members became Respectable, and most of them distinguished Men—Studying French, Italian, and Spanish—Playing Chess—Studying Latin—The "Junto" Copied in England—Canning—Franklin begins to think more of Religion—Doubting his Doubts—A Minister calls upon him—Goes to Meeting—The Fatal Sermon—Power of Conscience—Prays, and his Form of Prayer—His Book of Goodness—Rules of Conduct, and what they show
244–253
CONCLUSION.
The Printer Boy and Man—His Brother reconciled to him—Rears his Nephew—Holds important Offices—Refuses Patent of a Stove—Gift to English Clergyman—Improves Street Lamps—Forms Fire-Company—Organizes Militia—A Schedule of the Offices he filled and the Honours he Won—Honoured in France, and all Europe—Societies and Towns named after him—A Library Presented to the Town of Franklin, Mass.—His Remark about more Sense than Sound—Washington's Praise of him—Action of Congress—Demonstrations of Respect in France—A Benjamin truly, and not a Ben-Oni—Regretting his early disregard of Religion—His Benevolence—Emptied his Pockets for Whitefield—His Humanity, and Words of a Biographer—His Reverence for God in High Places—Proposed the First Fast—Advocates Prayers in the National Convention—The Young Man at his Death-bed—His Last Words for the Bible
254–264
THE PRINTER-BOY.
CHAPTER I.
THE WHISTLE.
It was a bright, welcome holiday to little Benjamin Franklin, when his kind parents put some coppers into his pocket, to spend as he saw fit. Possibly it was the first time he was ever permitted to go out alone into the streets of Boston with money to spend for his own pleasure; for he was now but seven years old.
"Can I have more coppers when these are gone?" he inquired.
"No," replied his mother, "you have quite as many now as will be for your welfare, I think. You must be a good boy, and keep out of mischief."
"What are you going to buy?" asked an older brother; and without waiting for a reply, he answered the question himself, by saying, "Candy, of course."
"Lay out your money wisely," added his mother; "I shall want to see how much wisdom you display in your purchases. Remember 'all is not gold that glitters.'"
His mother had scarcely ceased speaking, when Benjamin bounded out of the house, eager to enjoy the anticipated pleasures of the day. Like other boys, on such occasions, his head was filled with bewitching fancies, and he evidently expected such a day of joy as he never had before. First in his thoughts stood the toy-shop, into the windows of which he had often looked wistfully, although it was a small affair compared with the Boston toy-shops of the present day. Every article in it could have been examined in one or two hours, while now it would take as many days to view all the articles in one of these curiosity-shops. It is almost wonderful, and even fabulous, this multiplication of playthings for the children. There seems to be no end to them, and many a girl and boy have been put to their "wits' end" to know what to choose out of the thousands of articles arranged on the shelves.
Benjamin had not proceeded far before he met a boy blowing away upon, a new-bought whistle, as if its music were sweeter than the voice of lark or nightingale. He could scarcely help envying him the happiness of owning so valuable a treasure. He stopped and looked at him with an expression of delight, and they exchanged glances that showed a genuine sympathy springing up between them. At once he resolved to possess a similar musical instrument, as I suppose it may be called; and away he hastened to the toy-shop, knowing that it must have been purchased there.
"Any whistles?" he inquired.
"Plenty