Ben and Me: Foreword–Chapter 3

The manuscript which forms this book was sent me recently by an architect friend.

While altering an old Philadelphia house, workmen uncovered a small chamber beneath a bedroom hearthstone.

With the aid of a powerful reading-glass my friend managed to decipher the story which follows.

Scarce able to believe that such a remarkable document could be other than some ancient hoax, he sent it to various authorities for their opinions.

Since the recent death of my lamented friend and patron Ben Franklin, many so-called historians have attempted to write accounts of his life and his achievements.

Since the recent death of my lamented friend and patron Ben Franklin, many so-called historians have attempted to write accounts of his life and his achievements.

Since the recent death of my lamented friend and patron Ben Franklin, many so-called historians have attempted to write accounts of his life and his achievements.

Ben was undoubtedly a splendid fellow, a great man, a patriot and all that; but he was undeniably stupid at times, and had it not been for me—well, here’s the true story, and you can judge for yourself.

With that number of mouths to feed we were, naturally, not a very prosperous family.

That was a winter long to be remembered for its severity, and night after night my poor father would come in tired and wet with his little sack practically empty.

I have never known how far I traveled that night, for, what with the cold and hunger, I must have become slightly delirious.

Reaching for these he would drop his pen; by the time he found that and got settled to write, the candle would flicker from the draught; when that calmed down, the sneezing would start again, and so it went.

The cap interested me, for I was still chilled to the bone—and this room was just as bleak as the rest of the house.

“But, perhaps, a bit of wood on that smoky ember that you seem to consider a fire might—”
“WASTE NOT, WANT NOT,” said he, severe, and went on writing.

“BILLS!” said he, shuddering, and put on two more logs, quick.

After a few trips he had a big pile of things there. There were scraps of iron, tin and wire. There were a couple of old warming-pans, an iron oven, three flatirons, six pot-lids, a wire birdcage and an anvil.

There were saws, hammers, pincers, files, drills, nails, screws, bolts, bricks, sand, and an old broken sword.

We put in some kindling and logs and lit her up.

So far he had written, with a lot of flourishes:—
An Account of the New Pennsylvania Fireplaces, Recently Invented by Doctor Benjamin Franklin...

“I don’t labor,” I said, “I think. And maxims don’t fill empty stomachs. That’s not a bad one, itself. Be specific.”

For myself I was to have as home or domicile to me and my heirs, to have and to hold forever without let or hindrance, with daily subsistence and clothing, in addition thereto:—
1 FUR CAP

For myself I was to have as home or domicile to me and my heirs, to have and to hold forever without let or hindrance, with daily subsistence and clothing, in addition thereto:—
1 FUR CAP

For myself I was to have as home or domicile to me and my heirs, to have and to hold forever without let or hindrance, with daily subsistence and clothing, in addition thereto:—
1 FUR CAP

For myself I was to have as home or domicile to me and my heirs, to have and to hold forever without let or hindrance, with daily subsistence and clothing, in addition thereto:—
1 FUR CAP

On my part, I was faithfully to give and perform to him, Benjamin Franklin, advice, aid, assistance and succor, at all times and under all conditions, and with him constantly to abide, till death did us part, so help me...

On my part, I was faithfully to give and perform to him, Benjamin Franklin, advice, aid, assistance and succor, at all times and under all conditions, and with him constantly to abide, till death did us part, so help me...

After that we sat around for a while, basking in the warmth, and I couldn’t help thinking how my fortunes had changed in a short twenty-four hours.

Ben, who was fairly well skilled with the needle, began to contrive many ingenious little improvements in the fur cap.

Ben, who was fairly well skilled with the needle, began to contrive many ingenious little improvements in the fur cap.

Ben never had his wits about him and I was often able to prevent him from plunging into a mud puddle or a market cart.

However, the most important improvement that we devised was a small hole in the lining of the cap, just above his left ear.

Ben soon became so dependent on my advice that he seldom ventured abroad without me.

Ben soon became so dependent on my advice that he seldom ventured abroad without me.

The fur cap, which formerly he had used only in inclement weather, he now wore constantly, indoors and out, doffing it only in the privacy of our own room.

The fur cap, which formerly he had used only in inclement weather, he now wore constantly, indoors and out, doffing it only in the privacy of our own room.