ns on the
Sabbath--Difficulty with Collins--Spending Mr. Vernon's
money--His three friends--Engagement with Deborah
Read--Voyage to England--Keith's deceit--Ralph--Franklin
enters a printing house in London.

The eccentric Keimer soon found that Franklin was a workman whose
services would be invaluable to him. He had no home of his own, but
became very unwilling that Benjamin, while in his employ, should board
in the family of a rival printer. He therefore made arrangements for
him to board at Mr. Read's, whose pretty daughter, Deborah, had made
herself merry but a few days before in view of his uncouth appearance.

Fortunately for the young man, who was never regardless of the
advantages of a genteel dress, his chest had arrived bringing his
clothing. He was thus able to present himself before the young lady in
attractive costume. And his address was always that of an accomplished
gentleman. As we have mentioned, he was ever in his youth, middle
life, and old age, remarkable for his personal beauty.

Bright and sunny days now dawned upon Franklin. His employer
appreciated his varied and wonderful merits. He received good wages.
The family in which he resided was highly attractive, and he there
found a home congenial with his pure and refined tastes. Several
months passed away before he heard from the friends he had left in
Boston. The tyranny of his brother had so greatly offended him, that
for a time he endeavored to exclude from his mind all thoughts of his
home. He heard, however, that one of his sisters had married Captain
Robert Holmes, the captain of a vessel sailing between Boston and the
ports on the Delaware.

In those piratical days, when the master of a ship was compelled to
sail with guns loaded to the muzzle, and with sharpened sabres, he was
deemed a personage of great importance. No weak or ordinary man could
discharge the responsibilities of such a post. Captain Holmes,
influenced by the love of his wife, wrote to Benjamin informing him of
the grief his departure had caused the family, entreating him to
return, and assuring him that all the past should be forgotten.

Benjamin, in his reply, wrote with such precision and force of logic,
that Captain Holmes became satisfied that he was by no means so much
in the wrong as he had supposed. It so chanced that when the captain
received this letter, he was in company with Sir William Keith, then
the Governor of Pennsylvania. He read