He had a good deal of unoccupied time at his stall, and "in order to pick up a few shillings," as he says, he began to write out neat copies of poems for albums. Finding sale for these, he determined to enlarge that part of his business by printing the poems. For that purpose he bought a small and very "squeaky" press and a font of worn type which had been used for twenty years. He had to teach himself how to set the type, and as his press would print only half a sheet at a time, it was very slow work; but he persevered, and gradually built up a little printing business in connection with his bookselling. After a while he published an edition of Burns's poems, setting the type, printing the pages, and binding the books with his own hands, and clearing eight pounds by the work.
Chambers wrote a good deal at that time, and his brother Robert wrote still more, so that they were at once authors, printers, publishers, and booksellers, but all in a very small way. After ten years of this work, William Chambers determined to publish a cheap weekly periodical, to be filled with entertaining and instructive matters, designed especially for the people who could not afford to buy expensive books and periodicals. Robert refused to join in this scheme, and so for a time the whole work and risk fell upon William. His friends all agreed in thinking that ruin would be the result, but William Chambers thought he knew what the people wanted, and hence he went on.
The result soon justified his expectations. The first number was published on the 4th of February, 1832. Thirty thousand copies were sold in a few days, and three weeks later the sale rose to fifty thousand copies a week.
[THE CHILDREN'S DAY.]
The children of the city of Brooklyn, Long Island, are fortunate in having a day of their own when they have the right of way. The schools, public and private, are closed, and some of the finest streets are given up to the little folk on the day of the annual Sunday-school parade.
For weeks before May 24 bright eyes were wide with pleasure whenever the "Anniversary" was mentioned. In the various schools special songs were practiced, and mothers, whether rich or poor, were very busy at home in making the pretty dresses and suits which were to be worn on the occasion. At last the time drew near.
Then the little hearts had only one anxiety—the weather. Would it rain? Would it be clear? Oh, how many little people spelled slowly through the newspaper reports the day before, and lisped their opinions about the probabilities! The joy was great when the sun rose on Wednesday, and the sky was as blue and soft as if it had just been swept free of cloudy cobwebs on purpose for the Brooklyn procession.
At 11 a.m. the City Hall bell pealed out grandly, and its tones were answered by church bells all over the city. There was a perfect chorus of chimes.