The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-03-19
DIR. FRANKLIN'S WIFE.
By JAMES PARTON.

" 1923, Deborah Read, beautiful and
blooming lass Of eighteen, stood at the door
of her fathers house in Market street, Phil
adelphia.
The city was forty-three years of age,
and it contained population of seven
thousand. Many trees Of the original for
est still st1pd upon its site; the houses
were built at some distance apart, with
gardens between them, as yet the streets
were unpaved. 1t is a large tranquil
Quaker village, surrounded by the prime
val wilderness, with groups of Indians fire.
quently to be seen in the streets, and such
game as wolves, bears, wild turkey and
deer to be shot within four miles of the
| town.
AS the young lady stood at the door of
her home--it was about church time in the
morning-she saw in crowd of church,
going people strange figure that both
amused and surprised her. 1t was a stout
lad of seventeen, not ill-looking but dressed
in the very extreme of shabbiness. lie wore
the working-clothes of an ordinary appren-
tice, and these by exposure to the rain and
wear and tear Of travel, had become dirty
and dilapidated. The pockets of his coat
and under each arm he had large roll
while eating q third. She gazed at him
as long as she could see him, wondering
and laughing at his ridiculous appearance.
If she had any thoughts upon the subject,
she probably set him down as a runaway
apprentice, for such indeed he was, one
Benjamin Franklin, who had made his way
from Boston by sloop by barge and on foot,
to escape the tyranny of his brother, to
whom he had been apprenticed.
A few days passed. Miss Read learned
lifrom her father that young man was
coming to board with them, printer, who
worked in one of the two printing houses
of the town. What was her surprise when
the young man arrived, nicely dressed
with clean linen, and very neat i'll his per-
son, to recognize the forlorn and shabby
youth who had caught her eye on that Sun
day morning. His chest had arrived by
sea, and thus he was able TO present him
self at his new abode in becoming cos
tune. The young man proved highly
agreeable to the family. He was full of in
telligence, amiability and good hpmor--
one of those young fellows who make
friends wherever they go, because they are
themselves obliging and friendly.
A year glided rapidly by, during which
the father of the young lady died, and was
buried in Christ Church burying ground,
| Philadelphia, where his grave stone may
be still seen and read His wife, a vigor.
Gus and prudent woman, carried on the
house as usual, so that it still furnished a
home to the young printer. His fortunes
had frightened during the year. The
Governor of the province, who had acciden-
tally become acquainted with his talents,
proposed to set him up in business as a
printer, and was going to send him TO Lon
don to buy types, printing press, and
whatever is necessary for the business of a
printer. With this prospect before him,
the young man was emboldened to speak
! to Mrs. Read on momentous subject. He
| had fallen in love with her beautiful daugh-
! ter. He told her this mighty secret and of
his intended voyage to London, and of the
governors project of establishing him in
business. Finally, he asked her daughters
hand in marriage.
Mrs. Read was far from disappearing the
MATCH but, like a prudent mother as he
was, she called the young mans attention
to the fact that neither he nor her daughter
were yet nineteen, and that it would be
most unwise for them to marry just as she
was going upon long voyage, and about to
| engage in a new business which might not
prove profitable How much better to
wait until he was safe home again, and the
business was well established. There was
no denying this, and he was obliged to
submit. Having thus arranged the matter
with the mother, he spoke to the daughter
who confessed with her tongue what her
eyes had often aSowed, that she loved him;
and she promised to marry him on his re-
turn.
| He set sail and reached London in due
time. There he discovered that the COVER
nor had deceived and wronged him most
cruelty. Instead of letters of credit he had
given him mere letters sof introduction,
which were absolutely worthless. The
consequences was that this young printer of
nineteen found himself in London with ten
pounds in his pocket and not friend in
Europe who could be of the slightest help
to him. To complete his misfortunes one