CHAPTER XVIII.
LITTLE BEN'S ADVENTURES AS A POET.
That was a charmed life that little Ben Franklin led in the early days of his apprenticeship. He always thought of provincial Boston as his "beloved city." When he grew old, the Boston of his boyhood was to him a delightful dream.
He and his father were on excellent terms with each other. His father, though a very grave, pious man, whose delight was to go to the Old South Church with his large family, allowed little Ben to crack his jokes on him.
He was accustomed to say long graces at meals, at which the food was not overmuch, and the hungry children many. One day, after he had salted down a large quantity of meat in a barrel, he was surprised to hear Ben ask:
"Father, why don't you say grace over it now?"
"What do you mean, Ben?"
"Wouldn't it be saving of time to say grace now over the whole barrel of provisions, and then you could omit it at meals?"