Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-12-26
D:C 9 il 4 2gT.
$50 WAS FRANKLIN"

30 you're 'prentice," said little
boy, the other day, tauntingly TO his
companion. The addressed turned proud
" around, and while the FIRE of injured
pride and the look Of pity were strongly
blended in his counienance, coolly an.
swered-"So WAS FRANKLIN !"
This dignifed reply struck me forci.
bly,, and turned to mark tho disputants
more closely. The former, | perceive II
by his dress, was Of higher class o.
society than his humble yet more digni.
fed companion. The latter was spright'
ly, active lad, scarce twelve years old,
ana coarsely but clcsnly attircd. But,
Young as he was, there was visible in
his countenance much Of genius, manly
dignity, and determinate resolution
while that Of the former showed only
fostered pride, and the imagined superi.
ority Of riches.
That little fellow, thought we, gazing
at our young hero, displays already
m ,ch Of the man, though his calling be
an humble one and though Poverty ex.
tends to him her dreary. cheer less real.
i;ty,. ,.still he looks on the brightest si!e
iof the scene, and already rises in antc.
.ipativn, fiom poverty. woe, AMI wretch.
'edness! Once, ESQ U7s Franklin" AMI
the world may one day witness our little
"'prentice" as great philosopher as
they have already seen in his noble pat.
tern AnI we passed. on, burie in me.
; 5ditation.
The motto Of our infantile philoso.
pher contains mnch-too much 10 be
forgo,,en-and should be engraven on
the minds Of all. What can better
cheer man 10 an humble calling. than
,hs reflection that the greatest AMI best
Of earth-the greatest statesmen-the
brightest philosophers and the prou lest
warrors--have once graced the same
profession
= Look at WASHINGTON What was
his course ,of life He was first sur.
veyor, then a farner--next a Commam.
der in Chief Of the hosts of freedom
+, fighting for the liberation Of his conn
Try from the thralIs Of despo:ic opprest
sion-and finally, called 10 the highest
seat of government by his ransomel
brethren, a President Of the largest Re.
public on earth.
Look at FRANKLIN He who
'."wi,h the thunder talked "a friend ts friend,
And woye his garland OF the lishtnins's wing
In sportivc twst,"-
What was he ? A Printer! once sub.
ordinate in Printins.oiliec Poverty
stared him in the face, but her blank,
hollow look could nothing daunl him.
He struggled against a harder current
than most are called on to encounter,
but he did not yield. He pressed man.
fully upwarl--bravely buffelcd misfor.
tunes waves, and gained the desired ha.
ven.
What was Robert Burns +? An Ayr.
shire ploughman. What was he in af.
ter life, in the estimation Of his country.
men, and of the world Your library
gives the answer.
But shall we go on, and call up in
proul array all the mighty host of wor.
ihies that have lived and diel--who
were cradIed in the lap Of penury. and
received their FIRST lessons in the school !
Of affliction ? Nay we have cited in.
stances enough already--yea, more than
eu0uSn, W Pio'o t"S po'"S :" fS"
namely, that there is no profession,
however low in the opinion Of the world,
but what has been honored with earth's
greatest and Morlhiest.
Young man Does the iron hand Of
misfortune press hard upon you, and dis.
appointme ents we'll nigh sink the soul :?
Have courage! Mighty ones have been
your predecessors--an have withstood
The torrent. of opposition that threatened
to ovcrwhelm their fragile bark,
Do you dispise your humble station,
and repine that Providence has not Pla'
ced you in some nobler sphere 2 Muir.
mur not agains! the dispensation OF an
all.wise Creator. Remember that wealth
ia no criterion Of moral rectitude, or in.
tellectual worlh--,hat riches dishonesty
gained are lasting curse-that virtue
and uprightness work out a rich rewaFl
and that
"An honest man is the nobcst work OF Cod"
And when dark Disappointment, comes,
don't wither at her stare-but press for
Ward, and the prize is yours 1t wast
thus with FRANKLIN--it can be thus with
YOU. He strove for the prize and he
won il. So may you'll IT'S we'll worth
con.ending for, and success may attend
YOU. and the stars willsbe brighter, as
ihe stripes wear deeper.
NJ Some suppose it sufficient TO let