"It is no wonder they got into debt. If the debt was not soon paid, they were taken from their homes. 'Stay in prison till you pay what you owe.' This was the cruel law."
"But how could they earn any money while they were in prison?" cried Joe.
"It was impossible, of course. That is why the law was such a bad one. By and by a very good man went to visit the prisons. His name was James Oglethorpe.
"He saw the poor debtors and pitied their sad case. He wished to help them. He thought of America. It had already given homes to many unhappy people. He went to the king of England and said:
"'Will you let the debtors come out of prison and go with me to America? They can have a fresh start and make a new home for themselves there. You will then have no more trouble with them.'
"The king listened kindly to Oglethorpe's plan. It seemed a good one. He promised to give land in America to these people and said that Oglethorpe should be their governor.
"Not long afterwards, the debtors were set free. How glad they were to be with their own families once more! How thankful they must have been to James Oglethorpe who had done so much for them!
"When they left England for America, their good friend went too, so that he might give them his wise help. Their new home was farther south than that of any other English people in this country at that time. It lay next to Florida. The Spaniards were their neighbors.
"The new colony was given the name of Georgia, in honor of George, the king of England.