aginary_
ones? The young mind will seize upon a truth or fact that is conveyed
in a story, when it will remain wholly indifferent to it as it appears
in a simple statement. So the life of an eminent man may engage the
attention of this class, if he is made to speak and act for himself,
when they would not be interested in it, if it were presented to them
in a plain summary of facts.

In this volume, the actual, early life of Franklin is wrought into a
story. The imagination has done no more than weave the facts of his
boyhood and youth into a "tale of real life." It makes Benjamin and
his associates speak and do what biographers say they spoke and did.
It simply paints the scenes and acts of which other writers have
_told_.

A conspicuous place is given in the work to the maxims of Franklin,
for the purpose of conveying important lessons in regard to the
formation of character, and thus stimulating the young in the path of
well-doing. Whole volumes of meaning are condensed into many of his
wise and pithy sayings.

W. M. T.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

THE WHISTLE.

The Holiday--The Coppers in Benjamin Franklin's Pocket--Inquiry--
Bounding Out--The Toy-Shop Then and Now--The Boy and his
Whistle--Resolved to Purchase--The Bargain--Going Home--Making
Music--Discussion about the Price--A Pocketful of Good Things--
Benjamin crying over his Whistle--A Benefit--What Franklin said
of it Sixty Years after--Boys do not Learn from the Past--Other
Ways of paying too dear for a Whistle--Deceit and Falsehood--
Tippling--Worldly Pleasure 1-8

CHAPTER II.

AT SCHOOL.

Talk about School--Brothers at Trades--Benjamin for the Church--
Early learned to Read--Long Process of Preparation for the
Ministry--"Uncle Benjamin's" Remarks and Offer--Who is "Uncle
Benjamin"--A Hundred Years Ago--When Benjamin was Born--Baptized on
Same Day he was Born--The Record--Description of his Birthplace--
Early Love of Books--His Father's Violin--Poor but Industrious--
Seventeen Children--Decision to Enter School--Where it was, and by
Whom kept--His Rapid Progress--Mr. Franklin's Trust in Providence--
At the Head of his Class--The Boy Father to the Man--Daniel
Webster--David Rittenhouse and George Stephenson--Hopes of
Benjamin 9-18

CHAPTER III.

A CHANGE.