The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Tales, Sketches, and Anecdotes

7. Franklin wrapped his coat around him, pretending to shiver with the cold, and observing that it was very chilly weather. It was, of course, nothing more than civil for the old lady to ask him to stop and warm himself. She pointed to a chair, and he drew himself up to the fire.

8. The entrance of her boarders prevented any further conversation. Coffee was soon served, and the stranger partook with the rest of the family. To the coffee, according to the custom of the times, succeeded a plate of apples, pipes, and a paper of tobacco. A pleasant circle of smokers was then formed about the fire. Agreeable conversation followed. Jokes were cracked, stories told, and Franklin was so sensible and entertaining as to attract the attention of the whole company.

9. In this manner the moments passed pleasantly and swiftly along, and it was eight o'clock before any of them expected it. This was the hour of supper, and Mrs. Franklin was always as punctual as the clock. Busied with family affairs, she supposed the stranger had quitted the house immediately after coffee. Imagine her surprise, when she saw him, with the utmost coolness and impudence, taking his seat with the family at the supper table!

10. Immediately after supper, she called an elderly gentleman, a member of the council, with whom she was in the habit of consulting, into another room; complained of the rudeness of the stranger, told the manner of his coming into the house, observed that he appeared like a foreigner, and she thought had something about him very suspicious. The old gentleman assured her that she need not be under any alarm, that the stranger was a man of education and agreeable manners, and was, probably, unaware of the lateness of the hour. He added, that it would be well to call him aside, and repeat to him that she was unable to give him lodgings.

11. She accordingly sent her maid to him, and then repeated the account of their situation, observed that it grew late, and gently hinted that he would do well to seek out other accommodations. The stranger replied that he should be very sorry to put her to any inconvenience, and would retire after smoking one more pipe with her boarders. He returned to the company, filled his pipe, and began talking as pleasantly and forcibly as ever. He recounted the hardships, and praised the piety and wisdom of their ancestors.

12. A gentleman present mentioned the subject of the day's debate in the house of representatives. A bill had been introduced to extend the powers of the royal governor. The stranger immediately entered upon the subject, supported the rights of the colonies with many arguments and much eloquence, and showed a great familiarity with the names of influential members of the house in the time of Governor Dudley.

13. The conversation was so animated and interesting that the clock struck eleven, unnoticed by the delighted circle. The patience of Mrs. Franklin was by this time completely exhausted. She now entered the room, and, before the whole company, addressed the stranger with much anger; told him plainly that she thought herself imposed upon; that she was a lone woman, but had friends who would protect her; and concluded by telling him to leave the house. Franklin made a slight apology, put on his great coat and hat, took a polite leave of the company, and approached the street door, lighted by the maid, and attended by the mistress.

14. While the company had been enjoying themselves within, a most tremendous snow storm had filled the streets, knee-deep; and no sooner had the maid lifted the latch, than a roaring wind forced open the door, put out the light, and almost filled the entry with drifted snow and hail. As soon as the candle was relighted, the stranger cast a mournful look on the lady of the mansion, and said – "My dear madam, if you turn me out of your house in this dreadful storm, I am a stranger in the town, and shall certainly perish in the streets. You look like a charitable lady; I should not think you could refuse shelter to a dog on such a night."

15. "Don't tell me of charity," said the offended matron; "charity begins at home. It is your own fault that you staid so long. In short, sir, I do not like your looks, or your conduct in thus forcing yourself upon my family, and I fear you have some bad designs."

16. The good lady had grown so angry as to raise her voice much above its ordinary pitch, and the noise drew all the company into the entry. They did not agree with Mrs. Franklin in respect to the stranger at all. He seemed to them to be a very honest, clever-looking fellow, and so far from wishing to turn him out of the house, there was not one of them but would have been glad to have him for a fellow-boarder. They thought him very sensible and pleasant, and could not account for their landlady's aversion.

17. At length, by their united interference, the stranger was permitted to remain in the house. There was no bed or part of a bed unoccupied, and he was obliged to sleep all night in an easy chair, before the parlor fire. Although her boarders appeared to have perfect confidence in his honesty, it was not so with Mrs. Franklin. She very carefully collected her silver spoons, pepper box and porringer from her closet, and, after securing the parlor door, by sticking a fork over the latch, carried them to her chamber. She charged the negro man to sleep with his clothes on – to take the great cleaver to bed with him, and to wake up and seize the vagrant at the first noise he made in plundering the house. The good lady then retired to bed with her maid, whom she compelled to sleep in the same room.

18. After a very restless night, Mrs. Franklin rose before the sun. She called her domestics, proceeded with them in a body to unfasten the parlor door. To her great astonishment, she found her guest quietly sleeping in his chair. She now began to feel sorry for her suspicions. Awaking him with a cheerful good morning, she inquired how he had rested, and invited him to partake of her breakfast, which was always served before that of the boarders.

19. "Pray, sir," said the old lady, as they were sipping their chocolate at the breakfast table, "as you appear to be a stranger here, to what distant country do you belong?"

20. Franklin put a little more sugar into his chocolate, and, helping himself to a slice of toast, replied, that he belonged to the city of Philadelphia. At the mention of this word, the old lady, for the first time, exhibited emotion. "Philadelphia?" said she – "if you live in Philadelphia, perhaps you know our Ben?"

21. "Who, madam?" replied Franklin, in the same cool and undisturbed manner that he had put on ever since he entered the house. "Why, Ben Franklin," said the mother; "my Ben – oh! he is the dearest child that ever blessed a mother!"

22. "What," said the stranger, "is Ben Franklin, the printer, your son? Why, he is my most intimate friend: he and I lodge in the same room." "O! Heaven forgive me!" exclaimed the old lady; "and have I suffered an acquaintance of my Benny to sleep on this hard chair, while I myself rested on a good bed!"

23. We can well imagine that the mother was very much astonished when she found that it was not an acquaintance of her son, but her son himself, whose countenance and person had been so much changed, that she had even been on the point of turning him out of doors! She was delighted to embrace him once more before she died, and was quite pleased that the members of the council had found him so agreeable a fellow as to insist that he should remain all night in the house.

1. What appointment did Franklin receive at this time.

2. Was the post-office, under Franklin, a source of revenue to the crown?

3. What honors did Franklin receive from the colleges?

5. Why did Franklin introduce himself to his mother as a stranger? In what situation did he find her?

6. How did she receive him?

8. What was the evening custom at that time?

CHAPTER XIII

Congress at Albany. Plan for a Union of the Colonies. Arrival of General Braddock. Franklin sent to him by the Assembly. Want of Wagons. Franklin undertakes to procure them. His Advertisement. Anecdote of Braddock. Battle with the Indians. Retreat.

1. In 1754, there was again a prospect of war with France. A congress of commissioners from the different colonies was ordered to be assembled at Albany, to confer with the chiefs of the Six Nations of Indians, in respect to the defence of the country. The governor of Pennsylvania communicated this order to the assembly, and nominated Franklin, with Mr. Norris, Mr. Penn, and Mr. Peters, to act as commissioners. Presents were provided for the Indians, and they all met at Albany about the middle of June.

2. On his way thither, Franklin projected and drew up a plan for the union of all the colonies under one government, so far as might be necessary for defence and other important services. This plan was shown to two or three of his friends, and, having met with their approbation, was submitted to congress. It then appeared that several of the commissioners had formed projects of the same kind. A committee was appointed to consider the several plans, and report. That proposed by Franklin was finally adopted with a few alterations: copies of it were sent to the British government and to the assemblies of the several provinces.

3. The British government were unwilling to permit the union proposed at Albany, from a fear that the colonies would become too military and feel their own strength. They accordingly sent over General Braddock, with two regiments of regular English troops, for the purpose of protecting them. This officer, with his forces, landed at Alexandria, and marched thence to Fredericktown in Maryland, where he halted for carriages. Franklin was sent by the assembly to wait upon him at this place, in order to arrange some matters which had occurred to excite serious misunderstanding.

4. His son accompanied him upon this journey. They found the general at Fredericktown, waiting, impatiently, for the return of those whom he had sent through the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to collect wagons. Franklin staid with him several days, dined with him daily, and had full opportunity of removing his prejudices. When he was about to depart, it had been ascertained that only twenty-five wagons could be procured, and not all of them fit for use.

5. The general and all the officers were very much surprised, and declared that the expedition was entirely at an end. They exclaimed bitterly against their government for sending them into a country destitute of the means of carrying their stores and baggage, for which no less than one hundred and fifty wagons were necessary. Franklin remarked that it was a pity they had not been landed in Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his wagon. The general caught at his words, and eagerly said – "Then you, sir, who are a man of interest there, can possibly procure them for us; and I beg you will undertake it."

6. Franklin asked what terms were to be offered to the owners of the wagons; and he was desired to put on paper the terms that appeared to him necessary. This he did; and they were accepted. He soon after published an advertisement, offering to contract for certain wagons and horses, on specified terms; and to this added an address to the inhabitants of the counties of York, Lancaster and Cumberland. The address was in the following words:

7. "Friends and Countrymen, – Being occasionally at the camp at Frederick, a few days since, I found the general and officers exceedingly exasperated on account of their not being supplied with horses and carriages, which had been expected from this province, as most able to furnish them; but, through the dissensions between our governor and assembly, money had not been provided, nor any steps taken for that purpose.

8. "It was proposed to send an armed force immediately into these counties, to seize as many of the best carriages and horses as should be wanted, and compel as many persons into the service, as would be necessary to drive and take care of them.

9. "If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal subjects to his majesty, you may now do a most acceptable service, and make it easy to yourselves; for three or four of such as cannot separately spare, from the business of their plantations, a wagon and four horses and a driver, may do it together; one furnishing the wagon, another one or two horses, and another the driver, and divide the pay proportionably between you.

10. "But if you do not this service to your king and country voluntarily, when such good pay and reasonable terms are offered to you, your loyalty will be strongly suspected. The king's business must be done. So many brave troops, come so far for your defence, must not stand idle through your backwardness to do what may be reasonably expected from you. Wagons and horses must be had; violent measures will probably be used; and you will be left to seek for recompense where you can find it, and your case, perhaps, be little pitied or regarded.

11. "I have no particular interest in this affair, as (except the satisfaction of endeavoring to do good) I shall have only my labor for my pains. If this method of obtaining the wagons and horses is not likely to succeed, I am obliged to send word to the general in fourteen days; and I suppose Sir John St. Clair, the hussar, with a body of soldiers, will immediately enter the province for the purpose; which I shall be very sorry to hear, because I am, very sincerely and truly,

    "Your friend and well-wisher,
    "B. Franklin."

12. Eight hundred pounds were furnished by the general, to be paid out as advance money to the owners of the wagons and horses. This sum not being large enough, Franklin advanced upwards of two hundred pounds more. In two weeks, the one hundred and fifty wagons, with two hundred and fifty-nine carrying horses, were on their way to the camp. The advertisement promised payment in case any wagons or horses should be lost; and as the owners knew nothing about the dependence to be placed on General Braddock, they insisted on Franklin's bond for the performance. This he accordingly gave them.

13. General Braddock was a brave man, but had too much self-confidence, too high an opinion of the power of regular troops, and too mean an idea of both Americans and Indians. About one hundred Indians joined him on his march, who might have been of great use to him as guides and scouts, if he had treated them kindly. He neglected and slighted them, however, and they gradually left him.

14. In conversation one day with Franklin, he gave an account of his intended progress. "After taking Fort Duquesne," said he, "I am to proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season will allow time, and I suppose it will; for Duquesne can hardly detain me above three or four days; and then I see nothing that can obstruct my march to Niagara."

15. Franklin knew something about marches through the woods, and the tricks of the Indians, and entertained serious doubts in respect to the success of the campaign. He only ventured, however, to say – "To be sure, sir, if you arrive well before Duquesne with the fine troops, so well provided with artillery, the fort, though completely fortified, and assisted with a very strong garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march, is from the ambuscades of the Indians, who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them; and the slender line, near four miles long, which your army must make, may expose it to be attacked by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut like a thread into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot come up in time to support each other."

16. Braddock smiled at his ignorance, and replied – "These savages may, indeed, be a formidable enemy to your raw American militia; but upon the king's regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should make any impression."

17. The enemy did not take that advantage of the army under Braddock which Franklin anticipated. They suffered it to approach without interruption till within nine miles of Fort Duquesne. The troops had just crossed a river, were in a more open part of the woods than any they passed, and moving forward in a compact form. Their advanced guard was suddenly attacked by a heavy fire from behind trees and bushes. This was the first intelligence which the general had of the approach of an enemy.

18. The guard being disordered, the general hurried the troops up to their assistance. This was done in great confusion, through wagons, baggage, and cattle. They were now attacked also from behind. The officers were on horseback, and easily distinguished and picked out as marks by the enemy. The soldiers were thrown together in great disorder, having or hearing no orders, and standing to be shot at, till two thirds of them were killed; then, being seized with a panic, the remainder fled in precipitation.

19. The wagoners took each a horse out of his team, and scampered. Their example was immediately followed by others, so that all the wagons, provisions, artillery and stores were left to the enemy. The general, being wounded, was brought off with difficulty; out of eighty-six officers, sixty-three were killed or wounded; and seven hundred and fourteen men killed, of eleven hundred.

20. These men had been picked from the whole army; the rest had been left behind with Colonel Dunbar, who was to follow with the heavier parts of the baggage. The fugitives arrived at Dunbar's camp, and communicated their own panic to him and all his people. Though he had now above a thousand men, he determined not to meddle with the enemy, but to make the best of his way to the settlements. Notwithstanding requests from the governor of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, that he would post his troops on the frontiers to protect the inhabitants, he continued his hasty and disgraceful march till he had arrived at snug quarters in Philadelphia.

1. Why were commissioners from the colonies ordered to assemble at Albany? Who were sent from Pennsylvania?

2. What plan did Franklin draw up?

3. Why did the British government disapprove of the proposed union? What course did they pursue? Why was Franklin sent to Fredericktown?