United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Sources
After dinner my sleepiness returned, and, being shown to a bed, I lay
down without undressing, and slept till six in the evening, was called
to supper, went to bed again very early, and slept soundly till next
morning. Then I made myself as tidy as I could and went to Andrew
Bradford the printer’s. I found in the shop the old man his father,
whom I had seen at New York, and who, traveling on horseback, had got
to Philadelphia before me. He introduced me to his son, who received
me civilly, gave me a breakfast, but told me he did not at present
want a hand, being lately supplied with one; but there was another
printer in town, lately set up, one Keimer, who perhaps might employ
me; if not, I should be welcome to lodge at his house, and he would
give me a little work to do now and then till fuller business should
offer.
The old gentleman said he would go with me to the new printer; and
when we found him, “Neighbor,” says Bradford, “I have brought to see
you a young man of your business; perhaps you may want such a one.” He
asked me a few questions, put a composing stick in my hand to see how
I worked, and then said he would employ me soon, though he had just
then nothing for me to do; and, taking old Bradford, whom he had never
seen before, to be of the town’s people that had a good will for him,
entered into a conversation on his present undertaking and prospects;
while Bradford, not discovering that he was the other printer’s
father, on Keimer’s saying he expected soon to get the greatest part
of the business into his own hands, drew him on by artful questions,
and starting little doubts, to explain all his views, what interest he
relied on, and in what manner he intended to proceed. I, who stood by
and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old
sophister, and the other a mere novice. Bradford left me with Keimer,
who was greatly surprised when I told him who the old man was.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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