Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-12

that any had been sold IN New York.
"It was never sold, Doctor, said Mr.. Small,
catching at the glorious opportunityto TO tell his
story, for which he put himself in the accus-
toned attitude, by thrus,ing his hands deep
into the pockets of his buckskins, and sitting
exceedingly upright.
'It Is almost so years since that work came
into my possession, may say, Of my family
We lived in the old Slip then-it was reckoned
highly respectable place of business. was
very young, but had learned to assist my father
in the store he was a prudent man, Doctor,
and never allowed much play. Our storeman
had gone of in pet, because my father would
not increase his salary; and it was not easy to
fill his place, for he had been seven years with
Us, and good storemen were not plentier at that
time than they are now. We talked to all our
friends on the subject without success. At last
my father advertised in the American News
Letter, the only paper New York had; it came
out every Saturday, and on heSfoilowfng
Monday wet, cold evening it was-just
when We were going TO shutup, and my mother
was laying supper for us in the back psrlor-let
me see, / think it was pumpkin pie we had,
ing-in walked a very shabby looking young
man, quite below anything we could think Of
employing. His hat had no cock, his hair
looked as if ii had never been cued, and he had
not mOrsel of rufle; In his one hand he car
ried penny roll, and under the other arm two
books. All these he laid down on the counter
in a decidedly vulgar manner, told my father
he had seen his advertisement for a storema an
in the News Letter, and came to apply for the
situation. Of course my father could not en-
gage person who carried a penny roll and
showed no ruffies; but he asked the young man
If he had ever been in n bookstore, and if he
could show testimonial Of character from any
| man of station in New York. Those questions
seemed rather to wake him up to the knowl-
edge Of his own presumption. He said, with
| good deal Of stammering, that he had never
| served in store of any kind, but be knew
something OF books, and would endeavor to
learn the business; that he was a stranger in
| New York and knew nobody; but there were
i respectable people in Boston who would
| recommend him. My father could not help
| smiling ut his ignorance of the world. He
advised him to 90 home to Boston, and get a
/ situation there, for he would receive no man
into his store who could not produce testimo-
mails, and did not understand the book busi-
ness. 1 suppose the poor young man was
| ashamed of his venture; he picked up the
penny roll and the lsrgestof the books be had
| laId down, but in his confusion forgot the
smaller one, which we did not notice was out
Of sight-and it proved to be this inestimable
| pamphlet"
| Ibid You ever see the young man again ?''
| inquired Franklin, who had listened to the
narration with his usual grave and placid look
| Never, doctor: he probably went home to
his respectable friends in Boston, and had no
| use for the book he forgot Indeed, the won.
der is, how it ever came into such a persons
hands"
Would you know him if you saw him now?'i
said Franklin, half smiling.
| - can't say that should, doctor; it is nj
most sixty years ago; L was boy not above
/ fifteen"
4 " 1t is sixty-two years ago, but I remember
| 1t well, my friend; for am the very man that
came to your fathers store that cold wet even
ing" said Franklin. 81 had returned from
England, poor and disappointed, unwilling tc
go back TO Keimer's printing Office, in Phila
delphia, which had left with such high hopes
/ fingered about New York and searched street
and store in vain for employment, when your
fathers advertisement caught my eye in ar
| humble coffee house II was like my las
chance, and went to apply before the store
should be shut. The penny roll was bought
was volume Of Detoe, con tanning his Essay
on Projects which first turned my attention
to science and philosophy; itwas then the only
| book possessed, and with it carried thi:
pamphlet in the vague hope that your father
might be induced to purchase few copies
and give it a chance of circulation in New
York. The repulse met with on my appli
| cation for the office Of storemsn, made me moi
only abandon the attempt to sell, but also tC
forget my book-the mind is easily confused
in youth"
+" But doctsr, If we had known, if We had
dreamed, that it really was you" gasped
Mr.. Small, ready to drop from his chair witt
| shame and embarrassment.
"No apologies, my dear sir, they are quite
unnecessary. / was nobody for you to know
or dream Of just then." And the old philoso
pher looked both merry and wise. at wal
my own fault, to come looking for gentee
situation in hat with no cock what could
any man expect? Sixty-two years make grea
changes in this world Of ours. They hav,
made US fourishing Republic of what Georg,
| III. and his ministers called seditious colony
/ and you see that in the same space Of time,
tolersbly respectable member Of Congress hal
been made Of man who carried penny roll
and wore no ruf1es."
Mr.. Small's friends could never understand
how he recovered his composure on that tryin,
occasion, but he did, his distinguished CUES
having contrived to turn the conversation ono,
more to his books and bindings; and the rest O
, the evening went of wonderfully we'll. Mex
morning he accompanied Franklin on wha
, | proved to be the Doctors last visit to New
York; saw him take his seat in Congress; saw
Washington sworn into the Presidency, ant
! returned to his country house in the accus
toned glow of enthusiasm for the successful
: and established. How far he proftcd by tn
lesson Of that evening could never be guesset
. by his most intimate acquaintance. Beside
the long treasured pamphlet, he was accus
toned to exhibit the chair on which Franklil
, sat in his library, many year after the IA
!, nous doctor had gone to the house appointed
Of I" The Shabby Young Man"