Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography") — John Shaqi
Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography")Hawthorne, Nathaniel
General
Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography")
Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Biography -- Juvenile literature
boys usually express their delight at whatever completely suits their
views. Nobody thought of questioning the right and justice of building a
wharf with stones that belonged to another person.
</p>
<p>
“Hurrah! hurrah!” shouted they. “Let’s set about it.”
</p>
<p>
It was agreed that they should all be on the spot that evening and
commence their grand public enterprise by moonlight. Accordingly, at the
appointed time, the whole gang of youthful laborers assembled, and eagerly
began to remove the stones. They had not calculated how much toil would be
requisite in this important part of their undertaking. The very first
stone which they laid hold of proved so heavy that it almost seemed to be
fastened to the ground. Nothing but Ben Franklin’s cheerful and resolute
spirit could have induced them to persevere.
</p>
<p>
Ben, as might be expected, was the soul of the enterprise. By his
mechanical genius, he contrived methods to lighten the labor of
transporting the stones, so that one boy, under his directions, would
perform as much as half a dozen if left to themselves. Whenever their
spirits flagged he had some joke ready, which seemed to renew their
strength, by setting them all into a roar of laughter. And when, after an
hour or two of hard work, the stones were transported to the water-side,
Bell Franklin was the engineer to superintend the construction of the
wharf.
</p>
<p>
The boys, like a colony of ants, performed a great deal of labor by their
multitude, though the individual strength of each could have accomplished
but little. Finally, just as the moon sank below the horizon, the great
work was finished.
</p>
<p>
“Now, boys,” cried Ben, “let’s give three cheers and go home to bed.
To-morrow we may catch fish at our ease.”
</p>
<p>
“Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!” shouted his comrades.
</p>
<p>
Then they all went home in such an ecstasy of delight that they could
hardly get a wink of sleep.
</p>
<p>
The story was not yet finished; but George’s impatience caused him to
interrupt it.
</p>
<p>
“How I wish that I could have helped to build that wharf!” exclaimed he.
“It must have been glorious fun. Ben Franklin forever, say I.”
</p>
<p>
“It was a very pretty piece of work,” said Mr. Temple. “But wait till you
hear the end of the story.”
</p>
<p>
“Father,” inquired Edward, “whereabouts in Boston was the mill-pond on
which Ben built his wharf?”
</p>
<p>
“I do not exactly know,” answered Mr. Temple; “but I suppose it to have
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