Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/261

No. 81] There this apprentice employ'd his former master as a journeyman ; they quarrel d often ; Harry went continually behindhand, and at length was forc'd to sell his types and return to his country work in Pensilvania. The person that bought them employ d Keimer to use them, but in a few years he died.

There remained now no competitor with me at Philadelphia but the old one, Bradford ; who was rich and easy, did a little printing now and then by straggling hands, but was not very anxious about the business. However, as he kept the post-office, it was imagined he had better opportunities of obtaining news ; his paper was thought a better distributer of advertisements than mine, and therefore had many more, which was a profitable thing to him, and a disadvantage to me ; for, tho' I did indeed receive and send papers by the post, yet the publick opinion was otherwise, for what I did send was by bribing the riders, who took them privately, Bradford being unkind enough to forbid it, which occasion'd some resentment on my part ; and I thought so meanly of him for it, that, when I afterward came into his situation, I took care never to imitate it. I had hitherto continu'd to board with Godfrey, who lived in part of my house with his wife and children, and had one side of the shop for his glazier's business, tho he worked little, being always absorbed in his mathematics. Mrs. Godfrey projected a match for me with a relation's daughter, took opportunities of bringing us often together, till a serious courtship on my part ensu'd, the girl being in herself very deserving. The old folks encourag'd me by continual invitations to supper, and by leaving us together, till at length it was time to explain. Mrs. Godfrey manag'd our little treaty. I let her know that I expected as much money with their daughter as would pay off my remaining debt for the printing-house, which I believe was not then above a hundred pounds. She brought me word they had no such sum to spare ; I said they might mortgage their house in the loan-office. The answer to this, after some days, was, that they did not approve the match ; that, on inquiry of Bradford, they had been inform'd the printing business was not a profitable one ; the types would soon be worn out, and more wanted ; that S. Keimer and D. Harry had failed one after the other, and I should probably soon follow them ; and, therefore, I was forbidden the house, and the daughter shut up. . ..

And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that for a subscription library. I drew up the proposals, got them put into form