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Page 90
"Come, dear father," said he, the next evening, "now tell us all about
some other little boy, who was destined to be a famous man."
"How would you like a story of a Boston boy?" asked his father.
"Oh, pray let us have it!" cried George eagerly. "It will be all the
better if he has been to our schools, and has coasted on the Common, and
sailed boats in the Frog Pond. I shall feel acquainted with him then."
"Well, then," said Mr. Temple, "I will introduce you to a Boston boy,
whom all the world became acquainted with, after he grew to be a man."
The story was as follows:--
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
BORN 1706. DIED 1790.
In the year 1716, or about that period, a boy used to be seen in the
streets of Boston, who was known among his schoolfellows and playmates
by the name of Ben Franklin. Ben was born in 1706; so that he was now
about ten years old. His father, who had come over from England, was a
soap-boiler and tallow-chandler, and resided in Milk Street, not far
from the old South Church.
Ben was a bright boy at his book, and even a brighter one when at play
with his comrades. He had some remarkable qualities which always seemed
to give him the lead, whether at sport or in more serious matters. I
might tell you a number of amusing anecdotes about him. You are
acquainted, I suppose, with his famous story of the WHISTLE, and how he
bought it with a whole pocketful of coppers, and afterwards repented of
his bargain. But Ben had grown a great boy since those days, and had
gained wisdom by experience; for it was one of his peculiarities, that
no incident ever happened to him without teaching him some valuable
lesson. Thus he generally profited more by his misfortunes, than many
people do by the most favorable events that could befall them.
Ben's face was already pretty well known to the inhabitants of Boston.
The selectmen, and other people of note, often used to visit his father,
for the sake of talking about the affairs of the town or province. Mr.
Franklin was considered a person of great wisdom and integrity, and was
respected by all who knew him, although he supported his family by the
humble trade of boiling soap, and making tallow-candles.
While his father and the visitors were holding deep consultations about
public affairs, little Ben would sit on his stool in a corner,
listening with the greatest interest, as if he understood every word.
Indeed, his features were so full of intelligence, that there could be
but little doubt, not only that he understood what was said, but that he
could have expressed some very sagacious opinions out of his own mind.
But, in those days, boys were expected to be silent in the presence of
their elders. However, Ben Franklin was looked upon as a very promising
lad, who would talk and act wisely by and by.
"Neighbor Franklin," his father's friends would sometimes say, "you
ought to send this boy to college and make a minister of him."
"I have often thought of it," his father would reply; "and my brother
Benjamin promises to give him a great many volumes of manuscript sermons
in case he should be educated for the church. But I have a large family
to support, and cannot afford the expense."
In fact, Mr. Franklin found it so difficult to provide bread for his
family, that, when the boy was ten years old, it became necessary to
take him from school. Ben was then employed in cutting candlewicks into
equal lengths, and filling the moulds with tallow; and many families in
Boston spent their evenings by the light of the candles which he had
helped to make. Thus, you see, in his early days, as well as in his
manhood his labors contributed to throw light upon dark matters.
Busy as his life now was, Ben still found time to keep company with his
former schoolfellows. He and the other boys were very fond of fishing,
and spent any of their leisure hours on the margin of the mill-pond,
catching flounders, perch, eels, and tom-cod, which came up thither with
the tide. The place where they fished is now, probably, covered with
stone-pavements and brick buildings, and thronged with people, and with
vehicles of all kinds. But, at that period, it was a marshy spot on the
outskirts of the town, where gulls flitted and screamed overhead, and
salt meadow-grass grew under foot. On the edge of the water there was a
deep bed of clay, in which the boys were forced to stand, while they
caught their fish. Here they dabbled in mud and mire like a flock of
ducks.
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