The Washington herald., 1911-07-23
BENJAMIN franklin


grated from England about twenty
eight years before.
AT ten years of age Benjamin was taken to
help at his fathers business, which was that
of tallow chandler and soap boiler. and his
employment was to cut wicks for the candles.
MI the moulds for casting candles, attend the
shop and go on errands. His father dreading
lest ne should go to sea, resolved to place him
WIN ms brother James, who was a printer.
10 MN benjamin was apprenticed in his
twelfth year. He tells us that SO great was
his relish for reading that he spent every
penny he could get in buying books, and that
merchant who came to the printing Office
took notice of him and lent him such hooks
as he chose to read
When only sixteen he chanced to meet with
a treatise recommending vegetable diet, which
he adopted from its cheapness. This" he
says, was an additional fund for buying
books; Having disagreed with his brother,
he sold his books to raise little money, and
embarked in ship for New York. Here he
sought employment in vain from the only
printer hkely to give him work. but he ad-
vised HIM to go to Philadelphia, where he had
son who needed an assistant.
Alter disastrous voyage he at length ar
rived IN safety. and gives the following strik.
ing picture OF his adventures: 81 was in my
working dress; was dirty from being 40 long
in the boat. My pockets were stuffed with
SHIRTS 81 and stockings. | knew no one nor where
my whole stock Of cash consisted of a single
dollar and about one shilling in copper coin.
1 pought three pennyworth of bread and
haylng no room for it in my pockets, walked
on with a roll under each arm and eating the
az Fourth street, passing by the door of MT.
Kead; my future wife's father, when she.
standing at the door, saw me and Thought 1
made, as certainly did, a most awkward and
RIDICULOUS appearance"
=, After remaining some time in PHILADELPHIA.
he found means to go to London On reach.
ing that city he presented certain letters (as
ne supposed) OF credit and recommendation
given him by Governor Keith, on which he
i naa rened TO procure him patronage and en-
he learned from friend that the Governor
was IN the habit of making promises which he
never intended to keep
Thus deceived, Franklin found himself with
oat aft friends or money in a strange country.
in Bartholomew Close, and afterwards with
Mr.. Watts, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
AFTER remaining year and half in Lon
don, ne returned to Philadelphia and engaged
himself a as clerk in a mercantile house. At
twenty fourth year of his age he found him.
self with prospect of well-doing before him
as stationer, and the following wear he mar
ried lady to whom he had been engaged
before ne left England. 1t was happy un-
ION. From this point Franklin's career was
most successful. He dvoted himself to iitera.
ture, and established the first circulating Ii.
brary known in America.
his political career began in 1887, when he
was ) appointed clerk to the General Assembly
Of Pennsylvania.
:, As a philosopher his name is linked with
Y the history OF electricity. One day his atten-
ton was drawn to kite which n bow wna
lying, and it occurred to him that here was
method OF reaching the clouds Soon after
thunder storm he went, accompanied by his
son, to shed, where, having raised his kite.
ne fastened key to the lower extremity of
inc "a. hemPen string, and then he insulated it
1y attaching it to post with piece of silk.
At length Franklin observed some loose
threads OF the string rise and stand erect,
dc presented his knuckles to the kew. and
~ arew from 1t the vell-known spark. He died
as - the age OF eighty-four Year, in Anrii-