The bargain was consummated; and the proper papers were prepared, signed, and sealed. Benjamin accepted the generous aid of Coleman and Grace, and became sole proprietor of the printing house and _Pennsylvania Gazette_. This was near the close of the year 1729, a few months after the _Gazette_ came into his hands. A few months more elapsed, when he concluded to accept the offer of the gentleman, spoken of on a previous page, to provide a stock of stationery, and opened a stationer's shop in his building. This proved a good investment, and led to his marriage, September 1, 1730, to Miss Deborah Read. While Benjamin was thus prospering, Keimer was going to the wall; and finally his printing office, with all its furniture, was sold under the hammer to pay his creditors; and he went to Barbadoes, where he lived in poverty. Thus changes brought Benjamin to the front, and his printing house was the best, doing the most business, of any one in the whole country, except Boston. True, Bradford continued his business and paper; but in a very small way, in no sense a rival to our hero. He stood at the head. XXXII. NO LONGER A SKEPTIC. "Time is money," Doctor Franklin wrote in age. It was what he practised when he conducted his printing business in Philadelphia. One day a lounger stepped into his shop, and, after looking over the articles, asked: "What is the price of that book?" holding it up in his hand. Benjamin had commenced to keep a few books on sale. "One dollar," answered the apprentice in attendance. "One dollar," repeated the lounger; "can't you take less than that?" "No less; one dollar is the price." Waiting a few moments, and still looking over the book, he said, at length: "Is Mr. Franklin at home?" "He is in the printing office." "I want to see him; will you call him?" Franklin was called. "Mr. Franklin, what is the lowest price you will take for this book?" at the same time holding up the book. "One dollar and a quarter," answered Franklin, who had heard the lounger's parleying with his apprentice. "One dollar and a quarter! Your young man asked but a dollar." "True," answered Franklin, "and I could have better afforded to take a dollar then, than to have been called from my business." The Customer seemed puzzled for a few moments, but, finally, concluded that the proprietor was joking. He had not been wont to place so great value upon time. "Come, now, tell me just the lowest you will take for it," he said. "One dollar and a half." "A dollar and a half! Why you offered it yourself for a dollar and a quarter." "True, and I had better taken the price then, than a dollar and a half now," retorted Benjamin with a good deal of spirit. The buyer got the truth into his head at last, paid the price of the book, and sneaked away, with the rebuke lying heavily on his heart. Benjamin wrote of his industry at that time, as follows: