This course of study, together with the advantage he received from the conversations that were carried on in his brother's shop, in which all the important questions of the day were discussed, led in time to another attempt at authorship, but this time Franklin acted in secret from fear of ridicule, and slipped his manuscript under the office door, where it was found the next morning by his brother, who read it aloud to his friends all unconscious that the author stood by trembling with suspense, lest his judgment should be unfavorable.

But the paper was well received, and printed in the newspaper which was published at the office, and from this time Franklin made several contributions to the same paper before the name of the author was found out.

At this time Franklin was about sixteen years of age, and considering that he had not been at school since he was ten, and that all his chance for study had to be taken out of his few leisure hours, he was a tolerably well-informed lad. He was of a very practical turn of mind, and listened to all the discussions on political topics with a keen interest and many a suggestive thought of the remedies that might be applied to existing evils. But his brother, who misunderstood the boy's nature, was not calculated to develop his young charge, and as he had always exercised over him a petty tyranny that was most aggravating to the younger brother, the time came at last when Franklin decided that it would be better for them to part.

He said nothing of his plans to anyone, knowing full well that he would only meet with opposition, but selling some of his books to obtain money, he took passage on a sloop that sailed between Boston and New York, whither he had determined to go. He left home in the night, secretly, and so really ran away at last, though only to become a harmless printer instead of the daring buccaneer he had once imagined himself.

But on reaching New York, which at that time contained only one printing-office, Franklin failed to obtain work, and so pushed on to Philadelphia, where after many ups and downs he finally succeeded in getting the promise of a printing-office of his own, and recommendations to people in England, where it was necessary for him to go to buy the needful outfit.

But Franklin found that the friend he had depended upon had failed him at the last moment, and he reached London without any letters of recommendation and with very little money, and found it necessary to work at his trade in order to get the means to return.

This experience, however, was not lost upon one who turned all the events in life to some use, and when after eighteen months in England Franklin returned to Philadelphia, he found himself possessed of the newest processes in printing, besides having picked up much other useful information.

Soon after his return to America Franklin started a debating society among his young friends, which was called the Hunto, or Leather Apron Club, because every member was supposed to be a mechanic, and in this society the young printer soon occupied a leading position.

Here were discussed all the political questions of the day, and also various philosophical subjects, and the interest that was then awakened in such discussions led to the most important results; for much of the ease and straight-forwardness which distinguished Franklin as a political speaker later on, could be traced to the exciting and inspiring debates in the Junto Club, while many of the practical plans for the benefit of the public which were suggested by Franklin, owed their origin to the same source.

The first circulating library in America was started by the Junto Club, and began with fifty subscribers, and all of Franklin's plans for improving the condition of the city were laid before his fellow-workmen in the Junto before being made public.

These plans were so practical and of such undoubted value, that before long Franklin's name was associated with every movement connected with the public life of the city, and the citizens of Philadelphia came to have such a high regard for the man who had so often proved their benefactor, that it was sufficient for them to know that Franklin approved of any plan to give it their heartiest support.

In this way it came about that the public service was raised to such a degree that Philadelphia became a model city among the colonies.

The circulating library was followed by the establishment of a night patrol for the protection of the city, and which was supported by taxes on property; then came the organization of the first fire brigade, which met with such success that in a short time most of the prominent citizens became members of it, every member pledging himself to furnish a certain number of the bags, buckets, and baskets which constituted the working utensils of the company. Then came the founding of the American Philosophical Society in 1743, the headquarters of which were fixed in Philadelphia; and a few years later the Junto Club started a movement which immediately became popular through the exertions of Franklin, and which resulted in the founding of the University of Pennsylvania.

The first hospital built in Philadelphia was largely due to Franklin's influence, people refusing to subscribe to it until they heard that he considered it desirable. Franklin also first called attention to the streets of Philadelphia, which were at that time unpaved and generally in a filthy condition. He first succeeded in having a walk paved in one of the principal streets, and as it soon became splashed with mud form the road, suggested that the houseowners should each pay a small sum to have the pavement kept clean. But paving the streets, when once it was started, seemed do desirable a thing to the inhabitants, that in a very short time the whole city was rendered lean and comfortable by paved streets. Then some one suggested that the streets should also be lighted, and lamps were brought from London for that purpose, Franklin again showing his practical turn of mind by substituting square chimneys of four panes of glass for the original globes which became speedily dimmed by the smoke; and this care for details and interest in the small concerns of life was also shown by the invention of the Franklin stove, which was a great advance over the wide, open, draughty chimneys which had hitherto been used for all household purposes, and by some wise suggestions about a cure for smoky chimneys.

In fact, Franklin never considered that any matter which concerned the welfare and comfort of his fellow-men was unimportant, and would set himself just as readily toward abating some perplexing household annoyance, as to solving a question in philosophy, claiming always that the aim of all knowledge should be the practical serving of the human race.

In the troubles between the colonies and the mother-country which preceded the Revolution, Franklin showed the full powers of his mind, and was a tower of strength to the people. Never weary of planning, advising, and working, he was an example of firmness of purpose united to unceasing labor, and his courage and perseverance at this critical time were of inestimable value. He was among the first to claim and insist upon the rights of the colonies, and declared that justice must be maintained if every law of man should be broken in the attempt. But, notwithstanding his bold stand at this time, Franklin's wise and temperate judgement did not allow him to be carried away by any of the enthusiasms which were at that time popular among the more excitable class of colonists. He did not advocate separation from the mother-country if justice could be obtained without that step, and claimed that he was a loyal American only because he was a loyal Englishman. But when the crisis came, and England proposed to do as she pleased with her own, regardless of all principles of right and justice, and when the English Parliament voted money for forcing the colonies to submission at the point of the sword, then Franklin, who had been in England during the troubles, trying to arrange matters on a peaceful basis, at once declared that the time for entire independence had come, and that the question would never be settled until the American colonies had become a separate nation. And all through the dangerous and disheartening years of the Revolution, he was the firm friend and unwaverng supporter of the struggling colonies. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and a few months afterward was appointed Commissioner to the French court, where he remained during the war, and where his influence in behalf of his country proved of incalculable value. And when the struggle was over, and the United States took their place among the nations, the treaty of peace which acknowledged the independence of America, was signed by Franklin, who was the American representative.

Franklin, on his return to America, was made Governor of Pennsylvania, and in less than two years afterward was appointed to take part in drafting the Constitution; and although he was then an old man, he showed the same good judgment and vigor of thought which had always made him such a valuable adviser in public matters.