Part 18 (1/2)
”It _can_ be,” replied Benjamin ”He is certainly Bradford, the New York printer, and father of Andrew Bradford, the printer of this town”
”How happened it that he should come here with you?”
”I can tell you in feords,” said Benja to New York, and how he happened to come to Philadelphia, and meet Mr Bradford there, and finally how he found his way to Keiood lesson,” said Keie secrets to another htover Keied, and his fount of English types nearly worn out Possessing -press much better, he went to work, and in a short ti an Elegy on Aquila Rose, an excellent young man orked for Bradford, and who had recently died; and he agreed to send for Benjaee A few days after he received a y was ready to be printed From that time Keimer provided hi-place,” said Kei at Bradford's, and this was not agreeable to Keimer
”Just as you please,” answered Benjao elsewhere”
”I can get you boarded with an acquaintance of mine, I think, where you will find it very pleasant I am confident that you will like it better there than at Mr Bradford's”
”I will go there, if you think it is best,” added Benjamin ”My chest has arrived, and I can look a little more respectable now than I could before”
The result was, that he went to board at Mr Read's, the father of the young lady who stood in the door when he passed on the aforesaid Sundaywith a roll of bread under each arm His appearance was much improved by this tient pros about Benja, which the reader may ponder with benefit to hi He understood the construction of a printing-press so well, that he could put an old one into running order, youth as he hen its proprietor was unable to do it This is ed to study the -press in order to work it Doubtlessany particular attention to their structure But a class of minds are never satisfied until they understand whatever commands their attention They are inquisitive to learn the philosophy of things It was so with Benjamin, and this characteristic proved a valuable element of his success It was the secret of his inventions and discoveries thereafter It was so with Stephenson, of e have spoken before
As soon as he was appointed plugan to study its construction In his leisure hours, he took it to pieces and put it together again several times, in order to understand it So of Williaed by a couplet which he read in Dyce's Spelling-book--
”Despair of nothing that you would attain, Unwearied diligence your end will gain,”
he sought tothat he undertook One day he borrowed a dulcimer, and made one by it With no other tools than the ha-frame for haed fork that served as spring, awl, and gimlet, he made a capital dulcis Here were both observation and perseverance, though notBenjamin Franklin
Another i, na up Market Street, with three large rolls of bread, is proof of this; or his appearance in the street and Quaker church in his everyday garb, because his best suit was ”conificant How e would have stayed away from church until the ”best clothes”
arrived! How many would seek for some concealment of their poverty, if possible, in similar circumstances! But these were s e a livelihood He had a destiny to work out, and in working that he must do as he could, and not always as he would He cared not for the laughs and jeers of those who could dress better and live more sumptuously than himself, since it was absolutely necessary for hiht have followed the exa men, and run into debt, in order to ”cut a dash;” but he believed then, as he wrote afterwards, that ”lying rides on debt's back,” and that it is ”better to go to bed supperless than to rise in debt;” or, as he expressed himself in other maxims, ”Those have a short Lent e money to be paid at Easter,”
and ”It is easier to build two chimneys than to keep one in fuel”
CHAPTER XVIII
NEWS FROM HOME, AND RETURN
Hitherto Benjaet Boston and old familiar scenes as much as possible No one at home knew of his whereabouts, except his old friend Collins, who kept the secret well One day, however, a letter came to his address, and the superscription looked so familiar that Benjamin's hand fairly trembled as he broke the seal It proved to be from his brother-in-law, Robert Homes, ”master of a sloop that traded between Boston and Delaware” He came to Newcastle, it see of Benjamin's place of residence, he sat down and wrote hi hied his parents, who still holly ignorant of his fate, and exhorting him to return home to his friends, ould welcos
Benja his reasons in full for leaving Boston, giving an account of his present circus for all the loved ones at ho to return
Not many days after Benjamin wrote and sent his letter, an unusual scene transpired at the office He was at work near the hen, on looking out, he saw Governor Keith approaching
”The Governor is co in,” said he to Keimer
Keimer looked out of the , and saw that it was so, whereupon he hurried down to the door, not a little excited by the thought of waiting upon the Governor, supposing, of course, that he was co in to see him
”Does Benjamin Franklin work for you?” inquired the Governor
”He does,” answered Keimer, both astonished and perplexed by the inquiry What he could want of hiine