A Literary Club--What Franklin said of it--A New Proposition for a Library--Scarcity of Books--Franklin the Father of Circulating Libraries--Size of the First Library now--Questions asked by the "Junto"--Their Practical Character--Questions Discussed--Members limited to Twelve--No Improvement on the "Junto"--Franklin's Hand seen in it--All but one or two Members became Respectable, and most of them distinguished Men--Studying French, Italian, and Spanish-- Playing Chess--Studying Latin--The "Junto" Copied in England-- Canning--Franklin begins to think more of Religion--Doubting his Doubts--A Minister calls upon him--Goes to Meeting--The Fatal Sermon--Power of Conscience--Prays, and his Form of Prayer-- His Book of Goodness--Rules of Conduct, and what they show 244-253 CHAPTER XXV. CONCLUSION. The Printer Boy and Man--His Brother reconciled to him--Rears his Nephew--Holds important Offices--Refuses Patent of a Stove--Gift to English Clergyman--Improves Street Lamps--Forms Fire-Company-- Organizes Militia--A Schedule of the Offices he filled and the Honours he Won--Honoured in France, and all Europe--Societies and Towns named after him--A Library Presented to the Town of Franklin, Mass.--His Remark about more Sense than Sound-- Washington's Praise of him--Action of Congress--Demonstrations of Respect in France--A Benjamin truly, and not a Ben-Oni-- Regretting his early disregard of Religion--His Benevolence-- Emptied his Pockets for Whitefield--His Humanity, and Words of a Biographer--His Reverence for God in High Places--Proposed the First Fast--Advocates Prayers in the National Convention--The Young Man at his Death-bed--His Last Words for the Bible 254-264 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. "HOW MUCH DID YOU GIVE FOR YOUR WHISTLE?" _Frontispiece_ MEDALLION OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN _Vignette Title_ THE ROGUE'S WHARF _Page_ 44 THE MYSTERIOUS CONTRIBUTOR 123 FRANKLIN SAVING THE DUTCHMAN 149 MISS READ'S FIRST GLIMPSE OF HER FUTURE HUSBAND 162 ANECDOTE OF DR. MATHER AND FRANKLIN--HUMILITY "BEATEN IN!" 186 "SAWDUST PUDDING"--ANECDOTE OF FRANKLIN'S INDEPENDENCE 242 THE PRINTER-BOY. CHAPTER I. THE WHISTLE. It was a bright, welcome holiday to little Benjamin Franklin, when his kind parents put some coppers into his pocket, to spend as he saw fit. Possibly it was the first time he was ever permitted to go out alone into the streets of Boston with money to spend for his own pleasure; for he was now but seven years old. "Can I have more coppers when these are gone?" he inquired. "No," replied his mother, "you have quite as many now as will be for your welfare, I think. You must be a good boy, and keep out of mischief."