spective wards, in turn;
the constable warned a number of housekeepers to attend him for the
night. Those who chose never to attend paid him six shillings to be
excus'd, which was supposed to be for hiring substitutes, but was,
in reality, much more than was necessary for that purpose, and made
the constableship a place of profit; and the constable, for a
little drink, often got such ragamuffins about him as a watch, that
respectable housekeepers did not choose to mix with. Walking the
rounds, too, was often neglected, and most of the nights spent in
tippling."

But even Franklin's influence was overmatched by this task. An abuse,
nourished by copious rum, strikes its roots deep, and many years elapsed
before this one could be eradicated.

In another enterprise Franklin shrewdly enlisted the boon-companion
element on his side, with the result of immediate and brilliant success.
He began as usual by reading a paper before the Junto, and through this
intervention set the people thinking concerning the utter lack of any
organization for extinguishing fires in the town. In consequence the
Union Fire Company was soon established, the first thing of the kind in
the city. Franklin continued a member of it for half a century. It was
thoroughly equipped and efficiently conducted. An item in the terms of
association was that the members should spend a social evening together
once a month. The example was followed; other companies were formed, and
fifty years later Franklin boasted that since that time the city had
never "lost by fire more than one or two houses at a time; and the
flames have often been extinguished before the house in which they began
has been half consumed."

About this time he became interested in the matter of the public
defenses, and wrote a pamphlet, "Plain Truth," showing the helpless
condition of Pennsylvania as against the French and their Indian allies.
The result was that the people were alarmed and aroused. Even the
Quakers winked at the godless doings of their fellow citizens, while the
enrollment and drill of a volunteer force went forward, and funds were
raised for building and arming a battery. Franklin suggested a lottery,
to raise money, and went to New York to borrow guns. He was very active
and very successful; and though the especial crisis fortunately passed
away without use being made of these preparations, yet his energy and
efficiency greatly