From Boyhood to Manhood | Page 5

for him, whether in prosperity or
adversity, at home among kith and kin, or with strangers in New
England.
"You better consider this matter seriously," continued the neighbor,
"for several families will go, I think, if one goes. A little colony of us
will make it comparatively easy to leave home for a new country."
"Very true; that would be quite an inducement to exchange countries,
several families going together," responded Franklin. "I should enjoy
escaping from the oppression of the Established Church as much as you;
but it is a too important step for me to take without much consideration.
It appears to me that my business could not be as good in a new
country as it is in this old country."
"I do not see why, exactly. People in a new country must have dyeing
done, perhaps not so much of it as the people of an old country; but the
population of a new place like Boston increases faster than the older
places of our country, and this fact would offset the objection you
name."
"In part, perhaps. If Benjamin could go, I should almost feel that I must
go; but I suppose it is entirely out of the question for him to go."
Benjamin was an older brother of Josiah, who went to learn the trade of
a dyer of his brother John before Josiah did. The Benjamin Franklin of
this volume, our young hero, was named for him. He was a very pious
man, who rendered unto God the things that are God's with full as
much care as he rendered unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. He
was a very intelligent, bright man, also quite a poet for that day, and he
invented a style of short-hand writing that he used in taking down
sermons to which he listened. In this way he accumulated several
volumes of sermons, which he held as treasures.
"I have not spoken with your brother about the matter," replied the
neighbor. "I think it would be more difficult for him to arrange to go
than for most of us, at least for the present. I intend to speak with him
about it."
"He will not want me to go if he can not," added Josiah, "and I shall
think about it a good while before I should conclude to go without him.

We have been together most of our lives, and to separate now, probably
never to meet again, would be too great a trial."
"You will experience greater trials than that if you live long, no doubt,"
said the neighbor, "but I want you should think the matter over, and see
if it will not be for your interest to make this change. I will see you
again about it."
While plans are being matured, we will see what Doctor Franklin said,
in his "Autobiography," about his ancestors at Ecton:
"Some notes, which one of my uncles, who had the same curiosity in
collecting family anecdotes, once put into my hands, furnished me with
several particulars relative to our ancestors. From these notes I learned
that they lived in the same village, Ecton, in Northamptonshire, on a
freehold of about thirty acres, for at least three hundred years, and how
much longer could not be ascertained. This small estate would not have
sufficed for their maintenance without the business of a smith
[blacksmith] which had continued in the family down to my uncle's
time, the eldest son being always brought up to that employment, a
custom which he and my father followed with regard to their eldest
sons. When I searched the records in Ecton, I found an account of their
marriages and burials from the year 1555 only, as the registers kept did
not commence previous thereto. I, however, learned from it that I was
the youngest son of the youngest son for five generations back. My
grandfather, Thomas, who was born in 1598, lived in Ecton till he was
too old to continue his business, when he retired to Banbury,
Oxfordshire, to the house of his son John, with whom my father served
an apprenticeship. There my uncle died and lies buried. We saw his
grave-stone in 1758. His eldest son, Thomas, lived in the house at
Ecton, and left it with the land to his only daughter, who, with her
husband, one Fisher, of Wellingborough, sold it to Mr. Ioted, now lord
of the manor there. My grandfather had four sons, who grew up, viz.:
Thomas, John, Benjamin, and Josiah."
"I do not know how you like it, but it arouses my indignation to have
our meeting broken up, as it was last week," remarked Josiah Franklin
to the aforesaid neighbor, a short time after their previous interview. "If
anything will make me exchange