Page images
PDF
EPUB

tired nature's soft languors stealing over him too, he sunk away insensibly into sleep. We are not informed that he was visited during his slumber, by any of those benevolent spirits who once descended in the dreams of the youthful patriarch, as he slept in the pleasant plains of Bethel. But he tells us himself, that he was visited by one of that benevolent sect in whose place of worship he had been overtaken by sleep. Waked by some hand on his shoulder that gently shook him, he opened his eyes, and lo! a female countenance about middle age and of enchanting sweetness, was smiling on him. Roused to a recollection of the impropriety he had been guilty of, he was too much confused to speak; but his reddened cheeks told her what he felt. But he had nothing to fear. Gently shaking her head, though without a frown, and with a voice of music, she said to him "My son, thee ought not to sleep in meeting." Then giving him the look of a mother as she went out. she bid him farewell. He followed her as well as he could and left the meeting house much mortified at having been caught asleep in it; but deriving at the same time great pleasure from this circumstance, because it had furnished opportunity to the good Quaker lady to give him that motherly look. He felt it sweetly melting along his soul as he walked. O how different, thought he, that look from the looks which my brother and the council men of Boston gave me, though I was younger then and more an object of sympathy!

As he walked along the street, looking attentively in the face of every one be met, he saw a young Quaker with a fine countenance, whom he begged to tell him where a stranger might find a lodging. With a look and voice of great sweetness, the young Quaker said, they receive travellers here, but it is not a house that bears a good character; if thee will go with me, I will shew thee a better one.

This was the Crooked Billet, in Water-street. Directly after dinner, his drowsiness returning, he went to bed and slept, without waking, till next morning.

Having put himself in as decent a trim as he could, he waited on Mr. Bradford, the printer, who received him with great civility, and invited him to breakfast, but told him he was sorry he had ne occasion for a jour

neyman. There is, however, continued he in a cheering manner, there is another printer here, of the name of Kimer, to whom if you wish it, I will introduce you. Per aps he may want your services.

Be gratefully accepting the offer, away they went to Mr. Keimer's. But ales poor man! both he and his office put together, made no more than a miserable burlesque on printing. Only one press, and that old and damaged! only one font of types, and that nearly worn out! and only one set of letter cases, and that occupied by himself! and consequently no room for a jour Deyman.

Here was a sad prospect for poor Ben-four hundred miles from home-not a dollar in his pocket-and no appearance of any employment to get one. But havng, from his childhood, been accustomed to grapple with difficulties and to overcome them. Ben saw nothing here but another trial of his courage, and another opportunity for victory and triumph.

As to Keimer, suspecting from his youthful appearance, that Ben could hardly understand any thing of the printing art, he slyly put a cOMPOSING STICK into his hand. Ben saw his drift, and stepping to the letter cases, filled the stick with such celerity and taste as struck Keimer with surprise, not without shame, that one so inferior in years should be so far his superior in professional skill-to complete this favorable.apression, Ben modestly proposed to repair his old press.This offer being accepted, Ben instantly fell to work, and presently accomplished his undertaking in such a workman-like style, that Kemer cou'd no longer restrain his feelings, but relaxing his rigid features into a smile of admiration, paid him several flattering compli ments, and concluded with promising him that though, for the present, he had no work on hand, yet he expected an abundance shortly, and then would be sure to send for him.

In a few days Keimer was as good as his word, for having procured another set of letter cases, with a small pamphlet to print, he sent in all haste for Ben, and set him to work.

CHAPTER XV.

AS Keimer is to make a considerable figure in the~ early part of Ben's life, it may gratify the reader to be made acquainted with him. From the account given of him by Ben, who had the bes opportunity to know, it appears that he possessed but little either of the au iable or estimable in his composition. A man he was of but slender talents-quite ignorant of the world—a wretched workman-and worse than all yet, utterly destitute of religion, and therefore very uneven and unhappy in his temper and abundantly capable of playing the knave whenever he thought it for his interest. Among other evidences of his folly, he miserably envied his brother printer, Bradford, as if the Almighty was not rich enough to maintain them both. He could not endure that while working with him, Ben should stay at Bradford's; so he took him away, and having no house of his own, he put him to board with Mr. Read, father of the young lady who of late had laughed so heartily at him for eating his rolls along the street. But Miss Deborah

did not long continue in this mind. For on seeing the favorable change in his dress, and marking also the wittiness of his conversation; and above all, his close application to business, and the great respect paid him on that account by her father, she felt a wonderful change in his favor, and in place of her former sneers, conceived those tender sentiments for him, which, as we shall see hereafter, accompanied her through life.

Ben now began to contract acquaintance with all such young persons in Philadelphia as were fond of reading, and spent his evenings with them very agreeably: at the same time he picked up money by his industry. and being quite frugal, lived so happy, that except for his parents, he seldom ever thought of Boston nor felt any wish to see it. An affair, however turned up, which sent him home much sooner than he expected."

His brother-in-law, a captain Holmes, of a trading sloop from Boston to Delaware, happening at Newcastle to hear that Ben was in Philadelphia, wrote to nim that hus father was all but distracted on account of his sudden elopement from home, and assured him that if

4

[ocr errors]

he would but return.which he earnestly pressed him to do, every thing should be settled to his satisfaction. Ben immediately answered his letter, thanked him for his advice, and stated his reasons for quitting Boston, with force and clearness that so highly delighted cap tain Holmes, that he shewed it to all his acquaintance at Newcastle, and among the rest to sir William Keith, governor of the province, with whom he happened to dine. The governor read it. and appeared surprised when he learnt his age. Why, this must be a young man of extraordinary talents, captain Holmes," said the governor, "very extraordinary talents indeed and ought to be encouraged; we have no printer in Philadelphia now worth a fig, and if this young man will but set up, there is no doubt of his success. For my part. I will give him all the public business, and render him every other service in my power."

66

One day as Keimer and Ben were at work near the window, they saw the governor and colonel French eross the street and make directly for the printing-office. Keimer not doubting it was a visit to himself hurried down stairs to meet them. The governor taking no notice of Keimer but eagerly inquiring for young Mr. FRANKLIN, came up stairs, and with a condescension to which Ben had not been accustomed, introduced himself to him-desired to become acquainted with him-and after obligingly reproaching him for not having made himself known when he first came to town, invited him to the tavern where he and colonei French were going to break a bottle of old Madeira.

If Ben was surprised old Keimer was thunderstruck, Ben went, however, with the governor and the colonel to the tavern, where, while the Madeira was circulating in cheerful bumpers,the governor proposed to him to set up a printing office, stating at the same time the great chances of success, and promising that both bimself and colonel French would use their influence in procuring for him the public printing of both governments. As Ben appeared to doubt whether his father would assist him in this enterprize, sır William said that he would give the old gentleman a letter in which he would represent the advantages of the scheme in a light that would, he'd be bound, determine him in his favor. It was thus

concluded that Ben should return to Boston by the first vessel, with the governor's letter to good old Josias: in the mean time Ben was to continue with Keimer, from whom this project was to be kept a secret.

The governor sent every now and then to invite Ben to dine with him, which he considered as a very great honor, especially as his excellency always received and conversed with him in the most familiar manner.

In April, 1724, Ben embarked for Boston, where, after a fortnight's passage, he arrived in safety. Having been absent, seven months from his relatives, who had never heard a syllable of him all that time, his sudden appearance threw the family into a scream of joy, and excepting his sour faced brother James, the whole squad gave him a most hearty welcome. After much embracing and kissing, and some tears shed on both sides, as is usual at such meetings, Ben kindly inquired after his brother James, and went to see him at his printing office, not without hopes of making a favorable impression on him by his dress, which was handsome far beyond what he had ever worn in his brother's service; a complete suit of broad cloth, branding new-an ete7gant silver watch and chain-and his

3 purse crammed with nearly five pound sterling-all in silver dollars. But it would not all do to win over James. Nor indeed is it to be wondered at; for in losing Ben he had lost a most cheerful obliging lad, whose rare genius and industry in writing, printing, and selling his pamphlets and papers, had brought a noble grist to his mill.

Ben's parade therefore of his fine clothes, and watch, and silver dollars, only made things worse with James, serving but to make him the more sensible of his loss; so after eyeing him from head to foot with a dark side dong look, he turned again to his work without saying a syllable to him. The behaviour of his own journeymen contributed still the more to anger poor James: for instead of taking part with him in his prejudices against Ben, they all appeared quite delighted with him; and breaking off from their work and gathering around him, with looks full of curiosity, they asked him a world of questions.

PHILADELPHIA! said they, Odear! have you been all the way there to Philadelphia!

« PreviousContinue »