THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.
Benjamin was so highly gratified with the favourable remarks he heard
about his articles, and especially that different persons, in guessing
who the author might be, usually guessed some writer of distinction,
that he could keep the secret no longer. He was eager to make the fact
known, that the much talked of essays emanated from his own pen; and
soon "the cat was let out of the bag."
Having a good opportunity, in reply to some remark of James about "the
last article found under the door," he said, "I know who the author
is."
"You know?" exclaimed James with surprise. "Why have you not disclosed
it before?"
"Because I thought it was not wise. It is not best to tell all we know
always."
"But you have heard us discuss this matter over and over, and take
measures to discover the author, and yet you have never intimated that
you knew anything about it."
"Well, the author did not wish to be known, until the right time
came, and that is a good reason for keeping the matter secret, I
think."
"Will you tell me who the author is now?" asked James, impatient to
obtain the long-sought information.
"Perhaps I will, if you are very anxious to know."
"You know that I am. Who is it?"
"It is Benjamin Franklin."
"What!" exclaimed James, astonished almost beyond measure by the
disclosure; "do you mean to say that you wrote those articles?"
"Certainly I do."
"But it is not your handwriting."
"I disguised my hand in order to conceal the authorship."
"What could possibly be your object in doing so?"
"That the articles might be fairly examined. If I had proposed to
write an article for your paper, you would have said that I, a
printer-boy, could write nothing worthy of print."
Here the conversation dropped, and James appeared to be abstracted in
thought. He said but little about the matter to Benjamin, neither
commending nor censuring, until his literary friends came in again.
"I have discovered the author of those articles," said James.
"You have? who can it be?" one asked.
"No one that you have dreamed of," answered James.
"Do tell us who it is, and put an end to our anxiety," said one of the
number, who could hardly wait for the desired information.
"There he is," replied James, pointing to Benjamin, who was setting up
types a little more briskly than usual. The whole company were amazed.
"Can it be?" cried out one; "you are joking."
Now Benjamin had to speak for himself; for they all turned to him with
their inquiries, as if they thought there must be some mistake or
deception about the matter. But he found little difficulty in
convincing them that he was the real author of the pieces; whereupon
they commended him in a manner that was rather perilous to one who had
the smallest share of pride in his heart.
From that time Benjamin was a favourite with the literary visitors at
the office. They showed him much more attention than they did James,
and said so much in his praise, as a youth of unusual promise, that
James became jealous and irritable. He was naturally passionate and
tyrannical, and this sudden and unexpected exaltation of Benjamin
developed his overbearing spirit. He began to find fault seriously and
unreasonably with him, and a disposition to oppress him was soon
apparent. He went so far as to beat him severely with a rod, on
several occasions, reconciling the matter with his conscience by
saying that he was master, and Benjamin was his apprentice. His whole
conduct towards his younger brother was unjust and cruel, and the
latter became restive and discontented under it. He made known his
grievances to his father, who censured James for his conduct, and took
the part of Benjamin. But the best efforts of his father to reconcile
matters proved abortive, because James's manifest opposition was so
aroused against his brother, on account of his sudden rise to
comparative distinction. Other causes might have operated to awaken
James's hostility, but this was evidently a prominent one.
Benjamin was so dissatisfied with his treatment that he resolved to
leave his brother as soon as possible. He was indentured to him, as we
have seen, so that it was difficult for him to get away. Being bound
to him until he became twenty-one years of age, the law held him
firmly there, notwithstanding the injustice he experienced. Still, for
the present, he laboured on in the office, and the paper continued to
be issued.
We are reminded that the printing-office has furnished many eminent
scholars to the world. Young men have there come in contact with
printed matter that has aroused their intellects to action, and caused
them to press onward, with new resolves, in paths of usefulness and
renown.
In the case of Benjamin, the circumstance of his connection with the
office just at the time a new paper was established called out a
certain kind of talent he possessed, and thus helped to make him what
he became. Success depends in a great measure in early directing the
young in the path to which their natural endowments point. Thus Lord
Nelson, who distinguished himself in the service of his country, was
early placed in just those circumstances that appealed to his
fortitude and other heroic attributes. That he possessed by nature
remarkable courage and determination, in connection with other
qualities that usually accompany these, is evident from an incident of
his childhood. One day he strayed from home with a cow-boy in search
of birds' nests, and being missed at dinner-time, and inquiries made
for him, the startling suspicion was awakened that he had been carried
off by gipsies. The alarm of his parents was great, and a careful
search was instituted, when he was found sitting on the banks of a
stream which he could not cross, unconcerned and happy.
"I wonder, child," said his grandmother, when he was brought back in
safety to the family, "that hunger and fear did not drive you home."
"Fear!" exclaimed the heroic lad, "I never saw fear,--what is it?"
He was taken by his uncle into the naval service while he was yet a
boy, where the scenes of every day were suited to develop and
strengthen the heroic qualities of his nature. He became known to the
world, not merely for his victories at Trafalgar and on the Nile, but
for other essential service rendered to his native land.
The same was true of Buxton, Wilberforce, Pascal, Handel, Canova, Dr.
Chalmers, and many others. Providence opened before them the path to
which their native qualities directed.
We have spoken of the advantage of occasionally writing compositions,
as Benjamin was wont to write, and another fact illustrating this
point has just come to our notice. It is an incident belonging to the
history of the Boston Young Men's Temperance Society. In addition to
its being a temperance organization, it was sustained for mutual
mental improvement. With other exercises, the members read lectures of
their own preparing at the meetings,--a very important and valuable
arrangement. One evening a member delivered a lecture upon the
character and objects of the society, which was listened to by a young
man who dropped into the hall for the first time. He was so well
pleased with the design of the association, as set forth in the
lecture, that he joined it at the close of the exercises. He began at
once to fulfil the requirements of the society in writing
compositions, and they were so well written that the author of the
aforesaid lecture said to him one evening--
"Why do you not write something for the press? If I possessed your
ability I should do it."
The young man received the compliment with becoming modesty,
expressing some lack of confidence in his abilities; but it set him to
thinking. The result was that he prepared a short article for a Boston
paper, which was accepted; and the way was thereby opened to his
becoming a constant contributor to its columns. The end is not yet,
though he is now the author of the popular "Optic Library." Thus so
small a matter as writing a brief article for a newspaper may herald a
career of literary fame.