urn was to her almost like life from
the dead. She was overjoyed, and no language could express her delight
as she looked into the face of her long-lost Benjamin. His father was
not less rejoiced, although he had a different way of showing it.
Indeed, all the family, except his brother James, gave him a most
cordial and affectionate welcome. He did not return ragged and
penniless, as runaways generally do, but he was clad in a new and
handsome suit, carried a watch in his pocket, and had about five
pounds sterling in silver in his purse. He never looked half so
genteel and neat in his life, and certainly never commanded so much
money at one time before.

Before his brother James heard of his arrival, Benjamin hastened to
the printing-office, and startled him by suddenly standing before him.
James stopped his work, saluted him in rather a reserved manner, and,
after surveying him from head to foot, turned to his work again. It
was rather a cold reception on the whole, but not altogether
unexpected to Benjamin. A brother who had driven him away by his harsh
treatment could hardly be expected to welcome him back with a very
warm heart.

The journeymen were delighted to see him, and they were very
inquisitive.

"Where have you been, Ben?" asked one.

"To Philadelphia," he answered.

"What kind of a place is it?"

"It is one of the finest places I ever saw. I like it better than
Boston."

"Going back?" inquired a second person.

"Yes; and very soon, too," he replied. "That is the place for the
printing business."

"What kind of money do you have there?" inquired Another. There was no
established currency in the country at that time, and his interrogator
wanted to know what they used in Philadelphia.

Instead of replying directly, Benjamin drew the silver from his
pocket, and spread it out before them. It was quite a curiosity to
them, as they used only paper money in Boston; and, besides, it caused
them to think that their old associate had fallen upon lucky days.

"You made a lucky hit, Ben, this time," said one.

"Heavy stuff to carry about," suggested a second. "A man would want a
wheelbarrow if he had much of it."

"Perhaps you would accept of the wheelbarrow and silver together,
rather than have neither," responded Benjamin.

By this time Benjamin's watch was discovered, and there was a general
desire to see it; so he laid it down before them, while his brother
appeared "grum and sullen."

"That is