Keimer presently obtained what he so ardently wished, the printing of
the New-Jersey paper-money, and flew into the office with the news to
Ben, who immediately set about constructing a copper-plate press, the
first that had ever been seen in Philadelphia. He also engraved various
ornaments and devices for the bills; and putting every thing in
readiness for their paper-money coinage, he set out with Keimer for
Burlington, where the New-Jersey legislature held their session.
At the first sight of Ben's paper-money, every eye was struck with its
beauty. "_Why this Keimer must be a very clever old fellow!_" was the
cry. But others who were deeper in the secret, replied, "not so; young
Franklin is the man." Hereupon great attention was paid to Ben. And he
was sensibly taught, that though he had been grievously tried and held
back in the world, yet he had much cause of gratitude. Presently
another affair arose, furnishing him fresh matter of congratulation,
that he had ever paid such attention to the improvement of his mind.
Fearing that our Philadelphia printers might strike off _more money
bills_ than they had been desired, the New-Jersey Assembly thought
proper to send two or three commissioners to superintend the press.
These gentlemen, all of the shrewd sort, and constantly with them while
at work, soon found out the difference between the master and his young
journeyman. Keimer, though a printer, had never been a reader. Ben had
devoted all his leisure hours to reading. The one had ever courted
pleasure in the furniture of his mind: the other, popularity in the
decorations of his body. The shape of his whiskers; the cock of his
hat; the cut of his coat, were great things with Keimer. Every trick at
easy outside show was caught up by him. Among other dashes at
popularity, he pretended to be a freemason, and was constantly grinning
and making his signs. But it would not all do. The New-Jersey
commissioners knew nothing of Jachin and Boaz. So that though, while
Ben, stripped to the buff, was heaving at the press, old Keimer would
stand by, stately as a prince at his levee, his attitude perpendicular
as the _plummet_, and his feet perfectly on the _square_, with his gilt
snuff-box nicely poised in his left hand, and his right, bespangled
with rings, tastily carrying the fragrant Maccabau to his nostrils,
courting the commissioners--yet, as before said, it would not all do.
The commissioners wanted new ideas, and Keimer had none to give them.
He had a pompous way of saying yes or no. And this was all they could
get from him in answer to their questions. Presently they turned to
Ben, whom by the by, they hardly thought it worth while to interrogate,
considering the character of his master, and his own young and raw
appearance. But in place of the old YES and NO of master Keimer, Ben
gave them such answers to their questions, as at once surprised and
delighted them. He was slow to speak, but when the commissioners,
curious to explore his intellect, which had so unexpectedly startled
them, purposely put a number of deep questions to him on the subject of
their paper-money, such as its effects on agriculture and commerce, and
the laws that should regulate its quantity, he answered all in his own
peculiar way of sagacious brevity, that made them declare he must have
studied nothing else all his life. The reports which these gentlemen
made in his favour, produced their natural effect. Ben was invited
every where, and treated with the most flattering attention; while
Keimer, though his employer, was entirely neglected, or invited only as
a compliment to Ben.
Among the many wealthy and great ones, his admirers, was the inspector
general, Isaac Deacon, a cunning old fox, and rich as a Jew. He could
never rest without Ben at his house. "_Young man_," said he one day, as
Ben was hard at work, "_I am mightily taken with you_, and let me tell
you, I never look at you without thinking of myself, as I was at your
time of life. Now, do you know what was my first employment, when I was
a boy?"
Ben replied that that was a question beyond his reach.
"Well then, I will tell you, sir, if you can but believe me. I'll tell
you. My first employment was to carry clay to the brick-makers!"
"Impossible!" said Ben.
"No, indeed, not impossible at all, but very certain. Yes, many a hot
day have I carried the clay, and so daubed with it all over, that my
own mother would hardly have told me from her house pig. Well, after
that I became an underling to a surveyor, and dragged his chain many a
day through the woods; and all the time did not know '_B from a bull's
foot_.' But the surveyor was a good man, sir, and taught me to read and
write. Ah! _them were dark times_, sir, _dark times_; all living here
like Indians in the woods. A young man, printing his books and pictures
like you, would have been looked on as a conjurer. And now let me tell
you one thing. Don't you be discouraged, but keep up a good heart. A
_little_, making every day, makes a great deal in a long life. And I am
mistaken if you don't make a fortune, and come out a great man yet some
of these days."