The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-03-19

he had not the courage to do this, or else,
absorbed by the wonders and pleasures of
the town, he had become Indifferent to her.
He merely wrote her short note, announce
ing his safe arrival in London, and telling
her he was not likely to return soon. This
was one of the great errors of his life, which
he said, he could wish to correct If he were
to live it over again. ..
Month after month passed, and Deborah
Read, anxious and forlorn, heard no more
from her faithless lover. A new suitor PIE
sented himself, Rogers by name, who car
ried on the trade of potter. He was an
excellent hand at the business, and for this
reason Mrs. Read favored his suit. Other
relations urged her to marry him, and at
last she gave her consent, and the mar
riago was celebrated. Soon the dreadful
rumor was noised abroad in Philadelphia
that Rogers, the potter, had another wife
Such strong reasons appeared for crediting
this report, that Deborah Read, who had
lived unhappy with him, returned to her
mother and resumed her maiden name, a
sorrowful and hopeless woman Her most
sanguine friends could not have forseen for
her happy and honorable future. Soon
after, Rogers, who owed money in all di-
rections fed from his creditors to the West
Indies, whence came soon after report of
his death.
Franklin remained in London for about
two years, at the end of which he returned
as n clerk to Philadelphia merchant,
whom he had met by chance in London
Upon his arrival he renewed his intimacy
with Mrs. Read and her daughter, and
doubtless explained his inconsistency as
best he could. lie lamented Deborah
Reads unhappy condition; and, however
he may have excused his behavior, he felt
that she owed the ruin of her life to his
own "giddiness and Inconsistency" The
mother, however, insisted that it was she
who was most in fault, because she had
urged on the unhappy marriage, even
against her daughters inclination. She
still consulted Franklin about her affairs,
and they were all excellent friends.
And SO passed three or four years, dur
ing which Franklin, through his own in
dustry and good conduct, became master
printer and proprietor of newspaper
with the prospect of founding an extensive
business. Needing capital, he tried to in
crease his store by marriage, and when
that scheme failed, he turned his thoughts
to his first love, poor Deborah Read. Her
runaway potter was probably dead, but he
might not be; and she seemed forever cut
off from marriage by the fact that her sec
ond husband would be responsible for the
debts of her first. Such was the law of the
period.
Franklin, plying her forlorn condition,
always reproducing himself as the cause of
her woe, and not less fond of her than be-
fore, at last proposed that they should risk
marriage. Nor was the match so un-
unequal as it seemed, for bachelor as he
was, he had a son a few months old upon
his hands, which was set of against the
chances of Rogers reappearing. In 1880,
seven years after Miss Read had seen Frank
lin walking up Market street, eating his
roll, they were married Rogers as it turn
ed ont, was really dead; nor did any of his
creditors apply to Franklin for payment.
The child was taken home and reared as
though it had been born to them in we'd
lock. He was well educated and afterwards
became governor of New Jersey.
The marriage was eminently successful in
every respect. One of Frankln's maxims
in Poor Richards Almanac was this GA
man must ask his wife to thrive" Moth
ing more true. In vain shall young man,
without much capital, toll and deny himself,
if he has wife who squanders his gains,
and takes no interest in his career. Mrs.
Franklin was one of the most industrious
careful and friendly of women. Besides at
tending her husbands little shop she
bought rags, stitched pamphlets, folded
newspapers, tenderly nurtured his child,
and kept her husband from being extravi-
giant. He was by no means of an economi-
cal disposition. He was generous to fault,
and am sure was much indebted TO his
wife for the rapidity with which he made
his fortune. In the early years of their
married life he could sometimes boast-and
he did boast of it--that he was clothed
from head to foot in garments which his
wife had first woven and then made.
1t seems, however, that she was not
averse to reasonable degree of comfort
and display. Franklin narrates that for
long time after his marriage he had moth
ing for breakfast but bread and milk, and