become very poor, and have fallen down, but I can get up again. I will rise in the world!" Then he would make haste to the printer. MR.BRADFORD, Printer, Philadelphia, was the direction, and soon Benjamin Franklin had found the house. But here he was disappointed; there was no work for him! Mr. Bradford said, however, that there was a man named KEIMER, who might perhaps find him employment. Again Benjamin Franklin went forth; but again he was disappointed. Mr. Keimer had no work for him. Mr. Keimer had not even a knowledge of the business; he had only a printing press, which was quite out of order. This gave Franklin some hope; he said if there was no work he could make some; and after considering a while, Keimer said to him, "You may see if you can put the old press to rights." Franklin would not wait to be told twice; he set to work immediately, and before long the press was mended. In a few days he found that there was printing to be done. His master could not afford to pay him much wages, but he did not mind that. A man who can dine on a dry biscuit, and enjoy dry bread and cold water, cannot be brought into trouble by having little money. A very little money could satisfy Franklin; he carried his mealth about with him, in his mind; his great luxuries were his own thoughts. He did not need half as much money as any one else would want to make him "rich." W. No; I can understand that. Suppose some other person had a sixpence. He might spend 1d. for beer, and 4d. for meat, and 1d. for bread, for his dinner; but Franklin would get two penny rolls, and some water from the river, and would save the other 4d. L. He did not want so muchthat is the secret. P. True; it is a very old piece of wisdom-that he is the richest man who has the fewest wants. Do you remember the story of Alexander the Great? L. Yes; he had made himself master of all the world, and then he was in trouble: he was poor because he wanted another world to conquer, and had not got it. And then, Diogenes P. Yes; but we are running away from Franklin. He worked well at Mr. Keimer's, so his work soon increased; he was therefore able to take respectable lodgings. He was even beginning to save money, when he met with a very tempting offer of employment. One of Franklin's letters had by chance fallen under the eye of Sir William Keith, the governor of the province. Sir William was so struck with the good penmanship, and the style of composition, that he inquired who wrote it. When told, the governor said that Franklin must be a promising young man, and that he would give him some profitable work to do. One day, therefore, while he and his master, Keimer, were at work in the office, they were astonished to see the governor and another finely-dressed gentle and five pounds sterling! His man knocking at their door. The governor asked for Franklin, and, after some conversation, said that he intended to establish a printing-house, and pro-sidered the question for a long mised that Franklin should have time; he turned the matter over the printing of the public papers and over again in his mind, and for both governments. at last he refused to lend his son the money. He said that he was only eighteen years old, and was too young to manage such a large business; but that he should have some money when he should reach the age of one-and-twenty. Franklin was therefore obliged to return to Philadelphia without success. Sir William Keith, however, did not say that the project should be given up. He kindly said to Franklin, "Since your father will not lend you the money, I will do it myself. I will advance you a hundred pounds." It was soon after arranged that Franklin should go to England to buy type and This was indeed good news for Franklin; he had never dreamt of "getting up" in the world so suddenly as this. But he thought, "I do not know whether my father will lend me the money to begin business with." The governor, however, said that Franklin should return to Boston; and he gave him a letter to his father, in which he set forth all the advantages which his son would gain by the scheme, and urged him to lend his son the required money. Franklin set out for home with a joyful heart, for the governor for some time before he went had treated him with great kindness; he had fre-presses, and all that was wanted quently invited him to dinner, for the establishment. Accordand was familiar and friendly ingly he set sail for London in towards him; the lad was, there- the next packet-ship, taking fore, proud of these honours. with him the governor's letter When he reached Boston his of credit for £100, and recomfather and brothers were very mendations to many gentlemen glad to see him. He had been of influence. away seven months; during all that time they had not heard of him, nor did they know where he was; and now he had come back, dressed in a new suit of clothes, with a silver watch, This was a great change for Franklin. How different were his thoughts now from those of his first morning in Philadelphia! He would say to himself, I have risen now!" THE WORLD'S WEALTH. THE swelling of an outward fortune can THE DOG. "He will not come," said the gentle child, 'Twas his master's grave where he chose to rest, He guarded it night and day; The love that glowed in his grateful breast, And when the long grass rustled near Beneath some hasting tread, He started up with a quivering ear, For he thought 'twas the step of his master dear, But sometimes, when a storm drew nigh, So there through the summer's heat he lay, And oft the pitying children brought Their offerings of meat and bread, And to coax him away to their homes they sought; But his buried master he ne'er forgot, Nor strayed from his lonely bed. Cold winter came with an angry sway, Then his moaning grew fainter day by day, And when he struggled with mortal pain, With one loud ery that shook the plain, Then stretched himself and died. L. H. S. THE TIMES OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. W. IF you please, papa, we want to know more about the great men who lived in Queen Elizabeth's reign, and you said we should hear of the new inventions. P. It would take a long time to give you the history of the great men; I can only mention a few particulars. fellow, thy necessity is greater than mine." A few minutes after he himself died. L. And was SIR THOMAS GRESHAM, the merchant, a good man? P. Yes; and a good merchant too. He built at his own expense the Royal Exchange, and founded Gresham College. SHAKSPEARE is known as the Her Majesty dined with him at best dramatic writer that ever the Royal Exchange, and he lived; he wrote 35 plays; and was called the Queen's merwas born at Stratford-on-Avon. chant, because he had W. And who was Mr. Spenser? EDMUND SPENSER, the poet, was the author of "The Fairy Queen." An Irish mob set fire to his house in Cork, and part of his beautiful poem was destroyed. Spenser died soon after, being broken-hearted, and almost a beggar. Ion. And what made Sir Philip Sydney celebrated? P. I said that he was a celebrated scholar. His poem "Arcadia " was very popular. He was not only accomplished but amiable. In a battle in the Netherlands he was mortally wounded, and his servants brought him some water to quench his thirst. As he was raising the bottle to his lips, he saw beside him a common soldier who was dying, and was perhaps looking with longing eyes at the draught. Sir Philip could not bear this; although he needed the water himself, he instantly handed it to the poor man, saying, "Poor the management of her money transactions. The ADMIRABLE CRICHTON is said to have been a most wonderful man. He excelled as an orator, poet, philosopher, boxer, fencer, gladiator, scholar, courtier, and soldier. The INVENTIONS in Queen Elizabeth's reign are worth noticing. Watches for the pocket were first introduced from Germany: one was presented to the Queen. Furs and muffs also were first worn; and carriages were brought from France. In the year 1601, however, a bill was brought into Parliament to prevent riding in coaches; for it was said that it rendered the gentlemen effeminate; but the bill was dropped. Whalebone was introduced from the whale fisheries, and sail-cloth was first made for the use of the navy. The first newspapers were printed in this reign, to inform the people of the defeat of the Spanish Armada; but they did Such were the principal inventions and improvements of Elizabeth's reign. The subject of the COSTUME of these times is a rather interesting one. Its great peculiarity was the enormous ruff worn round the neck. This ruff gave great offence to the strict Puritans, who thought the love of all finery a sin. One of their writers makes a furious attack upon it, and speaks of it as 66 clogged and pestered with needlework." He says that the lords of the Court were very choice about their shirts. These were made of cambric, with open work down the seams; so that they often cost ten pounds each, which, he adds, "is horrible to think of." The Queen herself thought that her subjects were beginning to wear their ruffs too large; for it is said that certain grave persons were appointed to stand at the gates of the City and cut down every ruff that was more than a yard in depth. A proclamation was also issued against wearing gold chains, and cloaks which sometimes reached down to the men's heels. The length of their swords was limited to The stocking-frame was another useful invention of this reign. It was invented by the Rev. William Lee. He began to use it for weaving stockings at a village near Nottingham, but the stocking-knitters were jealous; they feared he would ruin their trade, and they drove him away. He fled to France, where he was treated quite as badly, and he soon died of a broken heart in the greatest poverty. Nottingham is still the head-quarters of the stock-three feet. ing trade. The AMUSEMENTS of those Needles first came into use times were not of the most in Elizabeth's reign. They refined character; bull and had been invented in the reign bear baiting, the baiting of of Edward II., but none knew apes, cock-fighting, cards and how to make them except the dice, quoits, racket, nine-holes, inventor, who died. Groüse, a and leaping hedges and ditches, German, revived the art, and were matters in which both carried on a trade at Bucking- gentlemen and ladies took an ham, where there is still a large interest. Even the Queen enmanufactory. In the early joyed such sports, and was part of this reign copper moneu fond of noisy entertainments. was first brought into use During her meals she listened |